Little Miss Madison
by Rosmarinus
Summary: COMPLETE Could Suzie and Horatio lose Madison? Horatio struggles to keep his new family together. Sequel to Madison Talks to Statues.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: _Little Miss Madison_ is a sequel to _Madison Talks to Statues_ and remains in that version of the CSI: Miami'verse. My little girl wouldn't stay quiet!_

_Disclaimer: CSI: Miami and all related characters are the rightful creations of people other than me. I am making no profit on this endeavor and am writing for the sheer beauty of writing good stories about good people. Also, "Little Miss Magic" belongs to Jimmy Buffett, who would laugh to know he is my muse and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, quoted below, was written by Mark Twain and borrowed for the purpose of furthering the story and because my Dad read it to me._

_Constantly amazed by the blades of the fan on the ceiling  
The clever little glances she gives me can't help but be appealing  
She loves to ride into town with the top down  
Feel that warm breeze on her gentle skin  
She is my next of kin_

_-- Little Miss Magic_

On Fridays, Horatio made a point of taking a late lunch. Instead of a popular restaurant, he waited outside St. Anne's Parish Elementary School for a red-haired five-year-old kindergartener to bounce through the main doors. This Friday was no different and Horatio smiled to see his niece race through the doors with her friends. The group of children spilled over the sidewalk and out to the waiting line of cars. Parents and grandparents stepped from their vehicles to meet their children. Horatio did the same, waiting beside the Hummer designated as CSI1.

Madison's face lit up when she saw her uncle waiting and she ran to Horatio, carrying that week's project. This time it was a watercolor painting on newsprint.

"Uncle Horatio!" she cried happily. "See my picture! It's a gecko like Tim!"

Horatio picked her up and hugged Madison tightly as she collided with his arms. She giggled as he set her back down, dropping to one knee and taking off his sunglass to better see her artwork.

"Now that," he told her with his own smile, "that is a great gecko."

Madison beamed from his praise. Horatio chuckled and stood back up, opening the door of the Hummer for her. She only needed a little help to scramble up into the seat with her bookbag. Horatio helped Madison to pull the seatbelt over her small shoulder and click in safely.

He closed the door and nodded to another father as he walked around the front of the Hummer. It was the second month of school and Horatio was beginning to know the other parents on sight. Next week was open house and Horatio found he was looking forward to going with Suzie to meeting Madison's teachers.

Sitting back in the driver's seat, Horatio tilted the mirror and pulled the large vehicle out from the parking space. He glanced at his niece seated in back. "So," he asked, "what would you like to do this weekend?"

Madison bounced eagerly in her seat. "Can Janie Woods come over to play? We could go swimming in your pool."

Horatio smiled and nodded as drove. "I think that sounds like fun," he told her. "How about you ask her mother when we get to CSI?"

"Okay," Madison said brightly. He turned to see her flash him a toothy grin. "You know what, Uncle Horatio?"

"What, Madison?" he responded.

"I love you," she told him.

Horatio chuckled to himself. "I love you, too," he said easily, "and I even like you."

Madison giggled in the backseat of the Hummer.

_-LMM-_

As they walked through the crime lab, Madison held Horatio's hand, humming a song she had learned at school. They paused at the reception desk where Paula greeted them warmly and made a show of clipping Madison's visitor's pass to her school uniform. Ryan nodded as they cross through the trace lab below Horatio's office, frowning as he usually did to see Madison. Horatio stopped to ask Ryan a question about their current case. Madison stood about chin-level with the steel countertop and eyed Ryan with suspicion.

From there, they climbed the steps to Horatio's office. Madison settled herself on the couch, pulling out her coloring books and the picture book she liked that week. Since school began, Madison had spent three afternoons and evenings a week with Horatio and every other weekend with him. Suzie had settled into her course work at Miami University and had worked a schedule with Horatio for him to have Madison while she attended classes or did homework. Only once had Horatio left Madison with the department child care while he processed a crime scene with his team. Afterward they had gone for pizza with Calleigh and Eric, an event Madison seemed to think was "really super cool."

Horatio slid off his jacket and reviewed the pile of papers on his desk. Madison continued to sing to herself. The night-shift supervisor, Catherine Sutter, stopped in for a review of the day's events, slipping Madison a piece of candy while Horatio leafed through the blotter.

Just before five o'clock, Horatio buzzed Alexx's office.

"Medical examiner," Alexx answered, her voice tense, "and there better be a dead body."

"Alexx," Horatio said into the speaker phone, "I take it the afternoon has not gone well?"

Madison left her coloring book and climbed on the chair across from Horatio desk, leaning on the desktop. Horatio winked at her.

"You could say that," Alexx's disembodied voice said, followed by a deep sigh. "What can I do for you, sugar?"

"Madison has a question," he told her.

Alexx chuckled. "Go ahead, baby girl," she said, knowing Madison was listening.

Madison leaned down toward the speaker box. "Can Janie come over tomorrow to play? Uncle Horatio said we could go swimming."

Madison looked up at Horatio, her expression hopeful, while there was a moment of silence.

"I think Janie would like that," Alexx said at last; Horatio guessed she checked the small appointment calendar book she kept in her purse. "Dennis is taking Bryan to the hobby shop anyway; what do you say we come over about one o'clock?"

Madison's face shone eagerly and she nodded to her uncle. "That would be good, Alexx," Horatio told her, smiling to niece.

"Alright," Alexx said from her end of the line. "I have to go, Miss Madison. My two kids are going to want to have dinner."

"Okay, Dr. Alexx," Madison told her. "Thank you."

"Tell Dennis I say hello," Horatio added. "See you tomorrow."

Madison hurried back to the couch and packed up her school bag as Horatio closed down his computer and took the files he had been working on back to their proper cabinets. When they were ready, Madison again took Horatio's hand and he turned off the lights in his office.

They walked down the steps, Horatio smiling as Madison hopped from step to step. Her red braids bounced in the air and she giggled to herself. He looked over the railing and saw Ryan still at work in the lab.

"Mr. Wolf," he said amicably. "It's Friday evening. I'm surprised you're still here."

"I just wanted to finish this up, lieutenant," Ryan told him, bent over, with eyes on the microscope plate as he changed slides. "Who's the little girl?"

Horatio motioned to Madison. "Tell him your name, honey."

"Madison Kyndall Keaton," Madison said promptly. She walked closer to Ryan and tilted her head. "Who are you?"

"Investigator Ryan Wolf," Ryan told her, glancing up from his work. "Nice to meet you, Miss Keaton."

"Are you a CSI like Uncle Horatio?" Madison asked. She crept closer to where Ryan was working and stood on tip-toe to see over the table.

Ryan stood up and looked at Horatio before answering Madison. "Yes, I am," he told her, moving the clipboard away from her hands. "And I have work to do."

Horatio nodded. "Come on, Madison. Let's leave Ryan to finish up here."

Madison nodded and slipped her hand back in Horatio's waiting palm. She waved to Ryan with a cheerful grin. "'Bye, Mr. Ryan."

"Good-bye, Miss Keaton," Ryan said, again bending over his microscope.

_-LMM-_

Madison splashed happily in Horatio's swimming pool while he grilled hot dogs for their dinner. She chattered to her inflatable dolphin about kindergarten and her teacher, Sister Fran. He caught a snippet about her visit to Ryan's lab and winced to hear the word "cute" used to describe him.

"Madison," he called, pulling the hot dogs from the grill and stacking them on the plate. "Time to get out for dinner."

Madison swam to the side and climbed out. She took a waiting towel from the nearby chair and sniffed in the air. "I'm hungry, Uncle Horatio."

"I know," he said patiently. "Go put on your cover-up and come eat."

"Okay," Madison said happily, skipping through the sliding doors and back to her bedroom. She reappeared a minute later in an oversized t-shirt. It was decorated with two little parakeets playing beach ball. Katie had brought it over for Madison the week before on her way to a chamber of commerce meeting.

"Very nice," Horatio commented as Madison took her seat across from him. He spooned out macaroni salad for her while she reached for a hot dog bun. When she was settled he said, "Do you want to lead us in grace?"

"Uh-huh," Madison told him proudly and folded her small hands. "Bless us, Oh Lord and – and –"

"These, thy gifts," he prompted.

"Right," she bobbed her red head. "These, thy gifts, which we are about to receive, through thy bounty, through Christ our lord. Amen."

Horatio smiled at his niece as she finished the prayer. He fixed his own plate while she squirted mustard on her hot dog. Madison licked mustard from her fingers and grinned up at her uncle.

"So," he said, taking a forkful of macaroni, "tell me what you did in school since I saw you on Wednesday."

Madison took a bite of her hot dog and chewed quickly. "We had art class and Jamie spilled the blue paint all over the floor. I got to be the head of the line for lunch. And we had a field day –"

Horatio knew precisely what his question would get him. He settled back and listened to Madison talk about her world while they ate dinner. The doings of a five-year-old and her friends were a welcome change from the hectic days he lived as a CSI.

Dinner finished, he sent her for her bath as he did dishes. She returned twenty minutes later, now dressed in a pink nightgown, her long red hair damp and unbrushed. Horatio took the pro-offered hair brush from Madison. She climbed on the kitchen chair and waited for him to brush out her hair. He did so, deftly braiding the strands for the night into two pigtails.

"So, what are we reading tonight, miss?" he asked, finishing with her hair and swinging Madison from the chair.

"Tom Sawyer!" Madison cheered and darted to the bookcase on the other side of the livingroom. She stretched on tip-toe to reach his copy of _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_ from the shelf.

When she reached the book, Madison hopped her way back to Horatio, who had taken a seat on the couch. She handed him the book and climbed up beside him, curling into his arm. Horatio pulled the afghan up to her shoulders and settled back. He opened up the book.

"'_Tom_!'" Horatio read, stressing the name. "'No answer. '_Tom_!' No answer. 'What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You _Tom_!'"

Horatio glanced down at Madison, snuggled in beside him.

"'No answer,'" Horatio continued. "The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked _through_ them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for 'style,' not service -- she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear: 'Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll –"

Madison's head rested gently against his side and her breathing was settling in sleepily. He continued reading, knowing she'd be asleep before Sidney tattled Tom out to Aunt Polly concerning the color of the thread at his collar.

When Horatio carried Madison back to her room and tucked her in her bed, he paused at her bedside.

_This little one_, he thought to himself, _this little one is my little girl, through and through_. And he lightly kissed her forehead as she slept.


	2. The Bad News

_Disclaimer: The characters you recognize belong to the good people at _CSI: Miami_ and not to me. If I had any ownership, we'd see more of Madison than once or twice a season. Also, very importantly, while I strive to do accurate research as I write, and some of what will occur in this story was explained to me by a lawyer, please do not treat any of the characters' discussions as legal advice. It is not intended as advice and may not be applicable in a real-life situation._

_A/N: It's good to be back! Thank you for the reviews so far and I'm glad you enjoyed the introduction. _

"This means," Horatio said, reading the report Valera had handed him, "that Mrs. Fanelli is not related to one of her two children."

"That's what it looks like," Valera agreed. She offered Horatio a thin smile and shook her head. She reached over and pulled another report sheet from behind the first in the folder. "However, Mr. Fanelli is not related to the other child. Blended family, I would think."

"Yes," Horatio nodded with a frown. "But why hasn't either parent told us this before?"

"Something to hide," Calleigh suggested, folding her arms and leaning against the counter. "The question is, what could they be hiding?"

Horatio nodded, continuing to read through the reports. He didn't like the look of the reports, nor the direction they were taking him.

His cellphone rang while he considered the possibilities. He took it from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Horatio." He frowned and nodded. "Yes, I'll be right there." He closed up the phone and returned his attention to his team members. "If you ladies will excuse me?"

"Of course," Calleigh responded. She took the report file from him. "Delko and I will start following this up."

"Thank you," Horatio said. He paused to lightly squeeze Valera's arm. "Good work, too, with extracting the DNA from that sample."

Valera glowed with his praise. "It's just good to be back."

With another nod, Horatio left the DNA lab and headed through the complex to reception. Waiting in the foyer were Suzie and Madison. Madison was playing hopscotch on invisible squares, but there were deep concern lines etched around Suzie's eyes.

"Suzie," Horatio said, tilting his head slightly.

Suzie sprang up from her seat on the black bench and flung her arms around Horatio without a word. Madison stopped her game and stood watching her mother and uncle, hands resting on her hips.

"Suzie," Horatio said again, this time his voice was more tender and concerned than before. He held her briefly before disentangling them. "What's happened?"

Tears clung to the corners of her eyes and she sniffed. "I'm – I need to talk with you. It's important. I'm sorry I couldn't wait until tonight."

Horatio nodded. "I can see that." He noted their visitor's passes and led them through the secure doors into the lab. Madison held her mother's hand but walked confidently, now familiar with her uncle's lab.

They passed Ryan at his work station. At first Horatio acknowledged him with simply his name, then with a glance to Suzie, he said, "Ryan, Madison is going to sit with you for a few minutes, if that is alright?"

Ryan frowned but tipped his head toward the empty chair at the clear end of the counter. "Sure, H," he said. Then he turned to Madison, who was walking to the chair with her bookbag. "But you don't touch anything, okay."

Madison grinned and climbed on the chair.

Horatio and Suzie climbed the steps to his office above the trace lab. He closed the door as Suzie stood in the middle of the small office, hugging her arms around herself.

"Suzie," he said for the third time, glancing down as a hundred worries flew across his mind. "What's going on?"

"My mother," she told him as if that was all the explanation.

Horatio guided Suzie to the couch and pulled his handkerchief from his jacket. He pressed it into her hands. "What about your mother?"

Suzie took a deep breath and collected herself. She wrung the handkerchief in her hands. "She's coming, Horatio. She's coming all the way from Indiana to take my little girl away."

Her words were a blow to his gut. Stunned, Horatio sat beside Suzie and tried to process what she said.

"Well, she can't," he said at last. "That's not going to happen, Suzie."

Suzie bobbed her head and fought back the tears. "She called me this morning," she continued. "Mother says I can't possibly be a good parent – because of the Tina. And my convictions. She says I'm irresponsible and she – she called me a whore, Horatio. She said she's coming to Miami tomorrow and will file with the courts to have Madison given to her."

"You've turned your life around," Horatio pointed out. "You're a good mother and Madison is doing well." He paused, gently turning Suzie's chin with his hand so he could see directly into her eyes. "And you are not a whore, Suzanne. Don't ever believe that."

"But –" Suzie stuttered, choking back the urge to cry again. "Whatever my mother wants, she gets. She ran my life when I was a teenager. When I tried to go home, when you got my probation transferred, she made me so miserable, telling me how bad I've been. Like I don't know it!" Suzie shuddered as she drew a breath, again fighting for control. "I wrote to her," she continued, a little more calmly. "It's the first time I told her about Madison. I thought, maybe, she'd be proud I was back on track."

Horatio nodded, folding his hands, listening to her. "I – I am proud of you," he said softly. "I'm honored to be part of your family."

Suzie looked up at his with a half-smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Horatio," she said softly. "You've been my brother and Madison's father all in one."

Horatio reached over to squeeze her hand. "And we will make your mother understand that Madison is fine and you, you are a good mother. It will be alright."

Suzie nodded, using the handkerchief to wipe at her eyes. "Will it, really? You don't know her. And there's enough against me, too."

Horatio glanced across the room, his eyes resting on a crayon drawing of Madison's family. Two red-haired figures and a tall yellow-haired one. The little figure held hands with the two tall ones. "That maybe," he said gently, "but it is in the past. Let's worry about the future and what we can do. Okay?"

"Okay," Suzie replied.

_--LMM --_

Downstairs, Madison knelt on the raised chair, leaning her elbows on the stainless steel countertop. She watched Ryan intensely as he went about his work. He had several slides ready for analysis and carefully dropped staining solution onto one of them.

"What'cha doing?" she asked, inching closer across the table to his work space.

Ryan kept his head down as he finished preparing the slide. "Working," he responded.

"On what?" she probed further.

"A very important case," he said and looked up at her face. He frowned again, pressing his lips tight before glancing up to Horatio's closed office door. "Don't you have somewhere you're supposed to be? Like school?"

Madison looked at him innocently. "No," she told him. "School's over for the day. Besides, I wanted to see you."

"Well, I don't want to see you," he muttered dismissively and made shooing motions with his hands. "Go away."

Madison pouted from her place on the countertop. She had inched forward enough that she was nearly sitting on the counter. "But you get to play with the cool toys," she told him.

"They're not toys," Ryan corrected her, bending back over the microscope and wondering when babysitter became part of his job description. "It's very expensive lab equipment."

Madison nodded sagely and finally sat on the counter, swinging her legs. "What does it do?" she asked

Ryan let out a deep sigh and stood up, crossing his arms and glaring at Madison. "You won't stop until I explain this to you, will you?

"Nope," she said brightly. "I wanna see."

Ryan considered his options, including calling for Calleigh to fetch the little pest. He figured, since Horatio had asked him to keep an eye on her, her mother must be in trouble again and that passing Madison off to another CSI might not be such a good idea.

_Of course, I'd get my work done_, he thought, making another face. "Alright, come here," he told her.

Madison climbed back on the chair and then down to the floor. Ryan pulled his own chair close to the counter and picked her up so she could stand on it.

"Look in there," he told her, "but don't touch anything. I've got this set and I don't want to have to change the calibration again."

Madison nodded happily and peered into the microscope, keeping her hands away from the knobs. Ryan kept one hand on her back to balance her while she looked through the eye-pieces.

"Wow," Madison said in awe, "there's little bitty things in there!"

"Yep," Ryan said. "Those are grains of calcium and salt we collected from a suspect's shirt."

Madison squinted some more at image on the slide. "Why do you need to look at them?"

"If I can match those grains with some grains like them we found at the crime scene, then we can prove he was there," Ryan explained. "But I need to make sure they're from the same source."

"Oh." Madison grinned. "Can I see another one?"

Ryan heard the door above the lab open. He looked up to see Suzie and Horatio leave the office; there was concern on Horatio's face but Suzie looked more collected than earlier.

"I think you have to go now," Ryan said with relief, picking Madison up from the chair to set her back on the floor. "Your mom is back."

Madison ran over to the base of the stairs as Suzie and Horatio walked down to the lab. "Mommy," she said excitedly. "Mr. Ryan has little bitty pieces of salt and 'somium in the thing and you can see them!"

"Calcium," Ryan corrected her. He caught Horatio's slight smile while the older man folded a handkerchief and slid it back in his inner jacket pocket.

"Everything okay here?" Horatio asked absently.

Ryan shrugged and walked back to his work station. "Everything's fine, lieutenant."

Suzie leaned over to kiss Madison on the cheek. "You be good for your uncle," she told Madison. "I'll pick you up after class and before you go to bed."

"Okay, Mommy," Madison said, hugging her.

"Just go straight ahead," Horatio directed. "The doors are on the left and reception is just past them."

Suzie returned Madison's hug and gave Horatio a wane smile. "Thanks, for everything," she told him.

Madison took Horatio's hand and waved as her mother left. She walked with him back up the stairs to his office. Once there, she took up the spot on the couch where Suzie had been, pulling open her bookbag for a coloring book and crayons.

"I need to make some phone calls," Horatio said, "but I was thinking we'd go to Checkers for a quick dinner and then down to the beach this evening?"

Madison clapped her hands. "I like the beach," she said.

Horatio smiled and sat down again, flipping open his PDA and searching for a phone number. A moment later he dialed the desk phone and waited patiently.

"Yes," he told the clerk who answered. "I'd like to talk with Kenwall Duquesne." He paused, then added, "Horatio Caine, please. I'd like to set up an appointment for first thing in the morning. It's something of a family emergency."

_--LMM--_

Suzie played with the cup of coffee in front of her, biting her lip. Horatio sat across from her, scanning a list on a legal pad, absently shaking his head and sipping his coffee. Suzie didn't have an appetite for breakfast. Her eyes flitted nervously from her coffee to Horatio to the clock in the Agrimont Hotel dining room. There was half an hour before she had to be in the advertising office. Worse, her mother was most likely in town by now.

Horatio looked up when she started tapping her spoon against the rim of the coffee cup. He offered her an encouraging smile. "I'm sure Kenwall will be here any moment," he told her.

Suzie bobbed her head, an action very similar to Madison's. "I'm still scared, Horatio," she confided.

"I know," he said. "But it will be alright." He quelled his own fears to supportively squeeze her hand.

"Good morning, good morning," Kenwall Duquesne greeted then, crossing the dining room. "I do apologize for being late, but it took me a few minutes longer than I planned at the courthouse."

Horatio stood up to shake Kenwall's hand. "I'm glad you were able to fit us in," Horatio responded. "May I present Suzie Barnam? Suzie, this is Kenwall Duquesne. He's Calleigh's dad and a good friend."

"Mr. Duquesne," Suzie said, accepting his hand as Horatio sat down again and signaled to the waiter. Kenwall joined them, passing his cup to the waiter, who poured coffee and quietly left.

"Kenwall, please, young lady," he told her with a grin. He reached across the table for the sugar and cream. "Well, are we ready to get started?" He waited for both their nods as he fixed his coffee before reaching into his briefcase. Kenwall pulled out a file folder and a manila envelope. He passed the envelope to Suzie and added his own legal pad to the table top. "As you can see there, Mrs. Louise Barnam has filed a non-parental custody petition in Miami-Dade Family Court, seeking custody of her granddaughter, Madison Kyndall Keaton."

Suzie's hands shook slightly as she read the petition.

"I expect you'll receive the formal copy of the petition sometime today," Kenwall continued. "We are going to prepare our response and file it today. The court will most likely order a home evaluation and interviews with Madison, you and Horatio before making a decision."

Suzie passed the petition to Horatio. "She says I'm a drug addict and living as a prostitute," she whispered tightly. "Mother's claiming that I'm not a 'moral person' and that Madison is 'exposed to dangerous situations' by living with me."

Kenwall appraised Suzie kindly. "I believe your mother is mistaken," he told her.

"I know she is mistaken," Horatio added reading the petition.

Kenwall picked up his pen. "Well, Horatio mentioned you have to be at work by ten," he glanced at the clock, which read quarter to ten o'clock. "So, I'm going to ask you a few quick questions. Then I will write our response and file it this afternoon." He glanced at Horatio before adding, "And I can be present this evening when your mother comes to meet you."

"That, that would be good," Horatio told him. Suzie nodded vigorously.

"Then, let's get started," Kenwall said. "Don't you worry, young lady. I know what it's like to fight for my daughter. I'm not going to let anyone take yours away."

_--LMM--_

Alexx found Horatio in the breakroom just past one o'clock. He was staring absently out the window, stirring a cup of coffee. His head was tilted upward at the sky and he squinted just a little bit. Alexx sighed and crossed the room to him. He heard her approached and turned, offering his best friend a warm smile.

"Alexx," he greeted. "Can I pour you some coffee?"

"Not right now," she said. "I have to cut back." She laid a hand on his arm and looked up into his blue eyes. "Kenwall Duquesne is a good man but singularly unable to keep a secret."

Horatio chuckled without humor. "What did Calleigh tell you?"

"That your niece's grandmother is suing for custody," Alexx told him. She studied his reaction, noting the slumped shoulders and the sudden eye drop to the floor. "That would be a 'yes.'"

"What makes one a good parent?" he asked her softly. "You have kids, Alexx. You're good with them."

Alexx waved her hand in the air, trying to put the question away. "Oh, no you don't," she said. "According to Janie, I'm the meanest, most uncool mom out there because I won't let her wear some hoochie shorts to school. And Bryan wants to know why I'm not as much fun as Dennis."

Horatio glanced up. Alexx's expression was a mixture of amusement and disappointment.

"Good parents put their children's needs ahead of their own," she said simply. "They love their kids unconditionally. Now are you asking if Suzie and you are good parents?"

Horatio settled into a chair at the table. Alexx sat across from him. He folded his hands on the table and thought of Madison saying grace before dinner. "I guess, I am." He looked off to the side for a moment. "In the petition, Mrs. Barnam is bringing up Suzie's drug use and the year she left Madison with Bob Keaton. She's using these as grounds to sue for custody."

Alexx considered that. "It's in the past," she said at last. "Besides, the courts take into account the best interest of the child. Suzie is employed and in school. Madison is healthy, in remission, doing well in kindergarten and has an uncle who is emotionally and financially supporting her. There's no reason the courts would remove her at this point."

Horatio nodded. "That, is precisely what Kenwall said." He took a deep breath and held while thinking. He released the breath with a softy _whoosh_. "When you said co-parenting wasn't easy, I didn't think it would happen so soon."

Alexx laughed quietly and squeezed his hand. "Horatio, this is the easy stuff compared to when she's 13. Or in Janie's case, 12 going on 25."

Horatio gave her a half smile, some of the humor returning to his blue eyes. "I thought you were supposed to be encouraging me," he chided.

"You're not going to lose her," Alexx said confidently. "Just wait until she starts noticing boys, though. Then she'll drive you crazy."

He chuckled and looked at Alexx through hooded eyes. "She's already thinks Ryan is cute."

Alexx leaned in close as though sharing a secret. Horatio leaned forward to receive her confidence. "So does Valera," she told him merrily.


	3. Enter The Woman

_Disclaimer: Aw, heck. You know it already._

_A/N: My Mom is pretty cool and if you see her described behind any character, look for her in Alexx. Thank you as always for the reviews! They are encouraging as I continued forward. I think this will be a bit more serious of story than "Statues" was, however, I plan on plenty of the funny, too, so don't worry._

Madison sat on the couch, swinging her little legs as she watched after school cartoons. It was a rare treat for her because her mother was usually at work or college and Madison was with her uncle or in after-school daycare. But today she was still in her school uniform, even though she wanted to change, and she got to watch T.V.

Horatio stood by the front windows of the apartment, hands on his hips, while Suzie buzzed through the apartment, straightening even though Madison thought everything was already straight. Mr. Duquesne sat in the small kitchen, sipping coffee and reading some papers. Madison liked him; he had Miss Calleigh's pretty eyes. He had brought her a new coloring book and had promised to tell her what Miss Calleigh had been like when she was a little girl.

"Suzie," Horatio said from behind Madison. She turned toward her uncle. He had left his station at the window and walked to her mother. "I think your mother is here."

"Oh, God, Horatio," Suzie said, panic in her voice. She stood up from fluffing the throw blanket on the back of the chair for the third time.

Horatio reached her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It will be just like we talked about," he assured her. Suzie nodded and pasted a smile on her face.

Suzie walked over to Madison and sat next to her, brushing a loose strand of blond hair behind her own ear. "Okay, Maddie," Suzie said to her daughter. "Remember what I told you about meeting your granmom?"

Madison bobbed her head. "Be nice," she repeated. "And only answer what she asks me."

Suzie hugged Madison. "That's right, little girl," she said.

The doorbell rang. Suzie jumped and rubbed her cheeks.

"Would you like me to answer it?" Horatio offered.

"No," Suzie said. "I have to do it."

Suzie stood up again, squared her shoulder and ran her palms along the legs of her jeans. Horatio noted her walk was more graceful and more determined that it once had been. She opened the door with a resolved smile and greeted the woman on the other side of the threshold.

"Mother," she said. "Hello."

"Hello, Suzie," Louise Barnam replied and bustled through the door. A slightly younger woman in a business suit with black hair followed her.

Mrs. Barnam had steel grey hair but didn't look to be more much more than fifty. She was about Suzie's height but several pounds heavier. She wore a blue dress with high heels.

Madison noticed her granmom's eyes. They were pale blue behind a pair of heavy glasses. There was no smile or humor in them. She saw how the woman looked at her mother, with a frown, and then how those eyes swept the room. Madison scooted further into the couch, not liking the funny feeling in her tummy that the woman gave her.

"How can you afford this place?" Mrs. Barnam asked, taking in the large livingroom, the small side kitchen, the two doors leading to bedrooms.

"I have a good job at the Agrimont Hotel, Mother," Suzie said, trying desperately not to sound like she was fifteen. "I'm in the advertising department."

"Huh." Mrs. Barnam looked Suzie over and then proceeded to walk to the center of the room. She noticed Horatio standing off to Suzie's side. He stood perfectly straight and with his arms folded. Madison was glad her uncle was nearby.

"Who are you?" Mrs. Barnam asked, now seizing him over. Her face held disapproval.

Horatio dropped his stance and approached the woman, extending his hand. "Hello, ma'am," he said politely. "I'm Horatio Caine. I'm Madison's uncle and Suzie's brother-in-law."

Mrs. Barnam awkwardly took his hand for a moment. She squinted at him. "Brother-in-law?" she questioned. "Not that Bob's brother?"

"No," Horatio said, holding back the bite in his voice. "Raymond's brother."

"Raymond is – was – Madison's natural father," Suzie filled in quickly, talking in a rush. "Horatio is helping me raise Madison."

Mrs. Barnam snorted as she took a seat in the armchair. "Another man," she said. "You must be giving him something in return."

Suzie wilted at the vile suggestion in her mother's voice. Horatio bristled and stepped forward.

"Mrs. Barnam," Horatio said with force, "you are making unfounded presumptions."

The woman in the business suit stood quietly by the door. Suzie glanced at her; the other woman offered a weak, almost embarrassed smile.

"Well," Mrs. Barnam now turned her attention to Madison, who was watching the exchange with big eyes. "You must be Madison?"

"Yes, ma'am," Madison said. She wanted her bunny. Uncle Horatio could get it for her, she knew.

"You look like your mother did at you size," Mrs. Barnam said. It sounded as if she was trying to be more gentle in how she spoke. "Except for the red hair." She shot a glance at Horatio, who was edging closer to Madison. "She must get that from you."

"Our mother had red hair," Horatio told her. "She gets it from Raymond."

Mrs. Barnam continued to look Madison over and seemed satisfied. "Well, Madison, I think we'll get along fine."

"No," Madison said defiantly.

Mrs. Barnam had turned to the woman behind her but her head spun around at Madison's response. Horatio half-smiled to himself at his niece's answer.

"What was that?" Mrs. Barnam demanded.

"We won't get along," Madison said fiercely. "You're being mean to Mommy and Uncle Horatio."

Mrs. Barnam leaned forward in her chair, her face stern. "Do not take that tone of voice with me, young lady."

"Don't talk to my daughter that way," Suzie snapped, darting between her mother and daughter. "You did that to me but I won't have you doing it to Madison."

Mrs. Barnam stood up and glared at Suzie. With pride, Horatio watched Suzie pull up to her full height and copy her mother's stance.

"We will see about that," Mrs. Barnam said. She turned to woman who came forward and handed her the file folder. "Suzie, we both know you can't raise a child. How long are you going to stay clean, huh? As soon as it gets difficult you'll be doing methamphetamines again. And who is this man, really? You're just a high class hooker." She shoved the papers at Suzie. "Just sign these. I'll take Madison and we'll be on our way."

Suzie stood open-mouthed, at her mother's calm tirade. Horatio stepped between them, taking the papers. "Kenwall," he called.

Kenwall appeared in the living room; Mrs. Barnam had missed his presence in the kitchen during her sweep of the apartment. Horatio handed him the papers, steadying Suzie with his hand on the small of her back.

"Mrs. Barnam, that is twice you've made accusations about a situation you know nothing about," Horatio told her. "I will not have you speaking to my sister-in-law in that manner."

Kenwall read the papers over, his face puffing slightly. He nodded to the other lawyer and conferred with her softly.

"Mr. Caine," Mrs. Barnam, "butt out of my family business."

"It is Lt. Caine," he corrected. "And you are meddling in my family."

Horatio raised his eyes and stared hard into Mrs. Barnam's. They stood, immobile, each waiting for the other to back down.

"This is a non-parental custody agreement," Kenwall said into the harsh silence.

"As you see, everything is done," Mrs. Barnam said. "Just sign the papers, Suzie, don't make this any harder than it is."

Kenwall nodded to Mrs. Barnam's lawyer, who took a discreet step back. He passed the agreement to Suzie. "As your lawyer, Suzie, I'm telling you not to sign this."

Suzie took the papers and read them over, biting at her bottom lip. She looked up and squared her shoulder, passing the unsigned papers back to Kenwall.

"No, Mother," she said calmly, "you can't have my little girl."

The sharp sound of paper being torn split the air. "If you continue this," Kenwall said, his Southern accent stern, "we'll see you in court, ma'am."

Mrs. Barnam looked as though Kenwall had slapped her. She took a step toward Suzie; Horatio remained directly behind Suzie, his face growing dark.

"Are you going to let these strangers tell you what to do?" she hissed at Suzie. "I'm your mother, I know what is best for you and that little girl."

Madison whimpered softly from the couch.

"I don't need them to tell me not to give up my daughter," Suzie retorted. "I hoped the first time Madison met her granmom would be better than this. It's time for you to leave, Mother."

Kenwall opened the front door. Horatio rested his hands on his hips.

"Suzanne Marie Barnam," Mrs. Barnam intoned. Her fury was gathering. Horatio stepped slightly forward.

"Mrs. Barnam," he broke in, his voice filled with deadly calm, "it's time for you to leave."

Mrs. Barnam scowled at Horatio, saw the set eyes on Suzie and spun on her high heel. Her own attorney had already thanked Kenwall for holding the door and waiting outside.

"This is not over," she said. "I will take that child back to Indiana with me and I'll have the courts giver her to me if I have to. I won't let her grow up to be trash like you."

"I'm not trash, Mama," Suzie said. "I'm making good with my life."

Mrs. Barnam shot her one more glare. "We'll see about that." She slammed the door behind her.

Madison started to cry. Suzie stood in shock, staring at the slammed door. Kenwall and Horatio exchanged significant looks and Horatio went to Madison's side.

"It's alright, sweetheart," he hushed, taking his niece in his arms.

"Is she gonna – gonna to take me away?" Madison stuttered through her sobs. "I dun-wanna go –"

Suzie heard Madison and nearly tripped on her own feet to get to her. Horatio easily passed Madison back to her mother. "No one is taking you away, Maddie," Suzie promised.

Horatio folded his hands in front of him, head down, as his emotions boiled within. Kenwall sat in the empty armchair, watching the little family in front of him. Horatio shook his head. "Now where do we go from here, Kenwall?"

Kenwall shrugged. "We wait," he said. "She might drop the petition. If she doesn't, the judge will read our response and set a court date. There will be interviews and backgrounds done on all of you."

"Then what?" Suzie said, looking up from comforting Madison. There were tear streaks on her own cheeks.

Kenwall shifted uncomfortably. "The court will review everything and make its decision. I would suggest, however, we take a precautionary step."

Suzie nodded and Horatio raised his eyes. "Florida laws allows you to appoint a standby guardian," he said to Suzie. "Originally the law was written for parents who have AIDS, so they could plan for care of their children. In this case, if you appoint Horatio, if the court finds you incompetent to care for Madison, Horatio will immediately become her guardian and not your mother."

Suzie looked over to Horatio. Madison has stopped crying and was snuggled into her mother's side. He gave her a tight smile.

"I wouldn't be giving Madison up if I did that, would I?" she asked Kenwall.

"No," he assured her. "Horatio wouldn't have any more determination than he does right now. It becomes effective only if you are incapacitated, have died or if your mother finds a way to prove you are incapable of raising Madison."

Suzie nodded, processing what Kenwall told her. She lightly kissed the top of Madison's head. "Horatio," she said at last. "What do you think? Would you be willing to do that?"

Horatio smiled at her. "I would be honored," he told her.

Suzie nodded with a tight smile and looked back to Kenwall. "How do I do that?" she asked.

"Let me take care of it," Kenwall said. "I'll have some papers for you to sign later this week. This will be the easy part and maybe it will dissuade Mrs. Barnam from continuing this nonsense."

"I'm not giving her up, Kenwall," Suzie emphasized, her arms wrapped protectively around Madison.

Horatio shifted so he was seated beside Suzie, with one arm around her shoulders, his hand resting on Madison's arm. "Suzie," he said gently. "You and Madison are my family now. Nothing is going to break us apart."

Suzie nodded to Horatio, forcing back her tears.


	4. Life's Interludes

_Disclaimer: All I own is the magic black box that brings Horatio into my livingroom for an hour on Monday nights. All characters and situations you recognize are borrowed for amusement and dinner out with Horatio. No profit is made from this endeavor._

_A/N: Sorry this is short for me; I got jumped by real life. My current plan is to bug off half the afternoon and hide at the coffee shop. Thank you for the reviews! I enjoy getting them and it helps me to know you're out there waiting for more of Madison's story (and her uncle's, too.) There is much more coming, along with a side plot or two. I have a feeling this might take a bit longer than _Statues_ to write, but I promise you the best story I can offer. The timeline is not a single week, but will take place over at least a month._

Kenwall filed the response to the petition along with the paperwork for standby guardianship the following day. He stopped at the Agrimont for Suzie's signature and then other at CSI for Horatio's signature. There was no further word from Mrs. Barnam. Horatio was on edge when his phone rang as he was leaving his most recent crime scene.

"Horatio," he snapped, holding the phone with one hand as he turned a corner in the Hummer.

"I certainly hope so," an amused female voice answered. "Because I know I didn't call my editor and he really isn't anywhere near as cute as you are."

Horatio chuckled. "Katie," he said. "I wasn't expecting a call from you."

There was clicking in the background; Horatio guessed she was in her office typing something up. "My sister asked me to come up to Melbourne for the weekend and I know you have Madison tomorrow, so I was wondering about dinner tonight. Sound like a plan?"

"It does," he said. "And I happen to know the perfect place."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," Katie said with enough of a tease to sound coy. The clicking stopped and he could imagine her flipping through a notebook. "Where and when?"

Horatio paused the Hummer at a light. "How about I pick you at seven?" he suggested.

"Works for me," she replied.

"Kate," he said and thought for a moment. "You've got a niece?"

The background noise on her end of the stopped. "Niece and nephew," she said. "My sister's kids. Ruthie is a year older than Madison. Why?"

"If something happened to your sister and her husband, who takes care of them?" Horatio asked, watching the traffic ahead of him.

There was a pause. "Horatio, that's a strange question," she said. "Meg and Chris named me their guardian. They'd be mine to raise for her." There was a second pause. "This is about Madison."

"I'll explain at dinner," he said. "It's just been a long week."

"Thursdays," Katie said. "They can be like that. Seven o'clock then."

"Seven o'clock," Horatio replied. "And Katie?"

"Yep?" The clicking in the background began again.

Horatio smiled. "Thanks for calling."

"Anytime, babe," she said happily.

_--LMM--_

"What do you want me to tell you?" Brent Pharies demanded. He glared at Horatio, who seemed busy studying the sunglasses he held in his hands. Det. Frank Tripp stood behind Pharis, arms folded, looking equally unpleased.

"How about," Horatio suggested, "how about the truth? Let's start there."

Pharies made a rude noise. "I told you, I didn't do it."

"Yes," Horatio replied, folding the sunglasses and tucking them in his jacket. "But the evidence is telling me something else."

"Namely, your little stunt cost two people their lives," Frank added.

Horatio's phone rang. He frowned and stepped away from the table. The caller ID registered as St. Anne's Parish School.

"Frank," Horatio said, "I suggest you take Mr. Pharis down to holding and let him think about what he wants to tell us for a couple of hours. Maybe then he'll be interested in telling us the truth." Horatio moved his gave from Frank and over to Pharis, offered a weak half-smile. "But it won't matter. Unlike you, Mr. Pharis, evidence doesn't lie."

"Let's go," Frank said gruffly, rousing Pharis from his seat and shoving him toward the door.

Once they left the room, Horatio answered his call. "Yeah, this is Horatio Caine."

"Lt. Caine," a woman said on the other end. "This is the school nurse at St. Anne's. Your niece, Madison, is running a fever and feeling nauseous. I tried reaching her mother but she's unavailable."

"Suzie's not able to leave work until four," Horatio explained. "And she has class on Friday nights." Horatio glanced at his watch; it was just past one o'clock. "I'll be right over for her."

Horatio clicked off, thinking through his next move. He'd go to get Madison and ask Alexx to take a look at her to make sure it wasn't anything serious. She could sleep in his office until he could take her home.

He scrubbed at his face as he headed to the elevator. CSI was no place for a sick child but his protective impulses weren't interested in leaving her with the department childcare center.

Twenty minutes later, Horatio parked the CSI1 hummer in front of St. Anne's. He showed his badge to the door guard and walked the halls to the school nurse's office. The sounds of three hundred children surrounded him as he passed open classroom doors. The hall smelled of floor wax and the unique scent of schools, chalk and pink erasers. At first Suzie planned to send Madison to public school but Horatio, who was familiar with some of the schools in the Miami-Dade system, prevailed on her to send Madison to St. Anne's. Her tuition was covered by a scholarship and Horatio's contributions. The good Sisters of Sts. Francis and Clare had formed him as child; he believed Madison could be in no better hands than those of these women.

Horatio rapped at the closed office door. A smiling secretary opened it from the other side.

"Can I help you?" she asked, motioning him inside.

"I'm here for my niece, Madison Keaton," he told her. "The nurse called and asked that I pick her up."

The secretary led him through the joint offices to the nurse. There he signed Madison out and watched as the nurse opened a bed curtain. Tucked in was Madison, looking pale, her face scrunched as she slept. He had a moment's panic, seeing her again in the hospital bed. Horatio quickly quelled it, remembering the doctor's reassurance at her last physical.

"Madison, honey," the nurse said, "wake up, sleepyhead. Someone's here for you."

Madison rolled over, opening her blue eyes. She saw Horatio and pushed back the covers.

"Uncle Horatio," she whined. "I have a fever."

"I know, sweetheart," he told her. "I'm here to take you home, okay? You can get some rest in your own bed."

Madison bit her bottom lip and nodded. She started to cough; Horatio went to her side and helped Madison to sit up as she gasped for breath. He glanced up at the nurse, no longer bothering to hide his concern.

"There is a virus going around the school," she said. "I think our little Madison has come down with it. A few days and she should be fine."

Madison rested her head against his shoulder. Horatio instinctually pressed the back of his hand her forehead. She was warm enough that there were little beads of sweat on her brow.

"That may be," Horatio said calmly, knowing Madison was paying attention, "but I think I will have our family doctor see her first."

Madison perked up a little bit. "Dr. Alexx?" she asked and then coughed again.

Horatio smiled at her. "Yes," he said. "We'll go back to CSI and you can see Dr. Alexx. Then home and bed."

Madison nodded, setting her head back against his shoulder. She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes.


	5. A Sick Kid at CSI

_Disclaimer: You all know they're not mine. I only claim my copies of seasons 1 & 2 and waiting for Nov. 22 when season 3 is released._

_A/N: Love my students; especially since they're on break at the end of the week and I can do two days of writing. Thanks for hanging on during my distractions. And many thanks for the reviews; they brighten my day and encourage me when writer's block and darling students take up my time._

Horatio had one arm through the strap of Madison's pink backpack while carrying her to his office. Her cheeks seemed more flushed than when they had left her school and she whimpered softly next to his ear.

The elevator doors opened in front of reception with the unusual sight of Horatio Caine with arms full of small child, bright pink backpack and worried expression. Paula, the desk sergeant, saw him leave the elevator and picked up Madison's visitor's pass, stepping around the desk to hand it to him.

"Poor baby," she cooed, brushing back Madison's hair. "Sent home from school?"

"Yep," Horatio replied, taking the pass with his free hand. "Could you, ah, could you call Dr. Woods and ask her to come to my office with her medical bag?"

"Certainly," Paula told him. "I know we have some ginger ale back in the stockroom. I'll get that for her, too."

Horatio smiled. "Thank you."

Shifting Madison slightly in his arms, he crossed the atrium and entered the CSI lab. There were a few grins and a couple looks of sympathy as Horatio walked past the labs and finally through the trace lab. Ryan looked up from the dosimeter where he was comparing cut pieces of rope. Madison started to cough again.

"Hey, germs," he scolded, raising his head. To his horror he saw it was Horatio and Madison, rather than Calleigh as he expected. "Sorry, lieutenant," he said, hoping he sounded contrite.

"It's alright, Mr. Wolf," Horatio said absently. "Alexx will be –"

"Horatio," Frank called as he stormed into the lab. "We have a perp in holding that's going to walk if we don't charge him with something soon." He stopped short, suddenly noting the little girl. "What's this?"

Horatio frown and resettled Madison on his shoulder. She was getting heavy to carry and he wanted to have her laying down and resting. "This is my niece, Frank," he said calmly. "And we will get our perp. But first, I'm taking her to my office."

Madison coughed again. "Uncle Horatio," she whined, "I'm thirsty."

"A sick kid at CSI?" Frank didn't bother to hide his disgust. "What is a sick kid doing here?"

Behind Horatio, Ryan nodded in agreement. Madison stuck her tongue out at him. He frowned and then crossed his eyes at her.

"I know, Frank," Horatio replied, not really answering the question. "I want to take Madison home as soon as possible. Now, let me get her to my office. You go get Mr. Pharis back in the interview room. I will join you shortly."

With that, Horatio climbed the steps to his office. Frank glared at Ryan, who offered a sly smile.

"What are you smirking about?" Frank demanded as the door above clicked shut.

Ryan shrugged and returned to his analysis. "Not much, Frank," he said. "Just never thought I'd see the day Horatio Caine walked around with a pink bookbag on his shoulder."

Frank gaped at him, thought about it and added his own snort of amusement. "I have a perp to grill," he said and left.

Alexx walked into Horatio office without knocking five minutes later. Horatio had moved the office chair next to the couch where Madison lay and he held a folded paper towel, soaked in cool water, to her forehead. She seemed to be asleep but her eyes fluttered open when Alexx closed the door.

She twisted the top off the 16-ounce bottle of ginger ale Paula had given her at reception. With a gentle motion, she sat down and slid her arm around Madison, helping her to take a sip of the ginger ale. Madison took a long drink and then gave Alexx a weak grin.

"Thank you," she said.

Alexx kissed the top of her head. She moved slightly and laid her cheek against Madison's forehead, noting how warm she had become.

"What do you say, I take your temperature, baby?" Alexx suggested. She leaned over to open the medical bag at her feet and drew out a mercury thermometer. Alexx opened an alcohol pad and wiped it down, flicking the thermometer a couple times to send mercury back into the bulb. "Open up," she instructed and placed the thermometer under Madison's tongue. Alexx checked her watch.

Turning to Horatio, who watched Alexx's bedside manner attentively, she asked, "What did the school nurse say?"

"Virus," Horatio told her, but the worry in his eyes spoke more loudly. "She said there's something going around."

Alexx nodded and reached into her bag, taking out a stethoscope along with a tongue depressor and little flashlight. She set them on her lap before turning back to Madison.

"Let me see your temp," she said softly, taking the thermometer from under Madison's tongue. "Hm," she hummed and then winked at Madison. "You're a hot little girl, aren't you?" Madison nodded her head in reply. Alexx turned back to Horatio. "Two degree fever."

Horatio frowned and waited. Alexx turned back to Madison. "Madison, I'm going to give you a little check up, is that okay?" She waited for Madison's nod of agreement. While Horatio watched, hands folded uselessly, Alexx listened to Madison's breathing and then peered down her throat. She gently prodded at the little girl's abdomen, asking if anything hurt. Finally, Alexx kissed Madison's forehead again and gave her the ginger ale.

"Well, it just so happens," Alexx said, opening her bag once more, "that I have something that going to help make you feel better." A bottle of children's Dimetapp came out next. Madison saw the bottle and made a face.

"Yuck," she said.

Alexx chuckled. "That's what Janie says, too." Alexx measured the dose out in the cap. "Down this quickly and then you can have more ginger ale. "

Madison scrunched up her face, considering putting up a fight.

"Madison," Horatio said firmly, "take the medicine."

Madison gave him a look but took the dose from Alexx. She swallowed it quickly and then reached for the ginger ale.

"Good girl," Alexx told her. She put her medical tools back in her bag, closing the latch. "Now, you just lay back and take a little nap. I'm going to talk with your uncle outside."

Alexx stood up and headed for the door. Horatio lightly touched Madison's cheek and followed the doctor. They stood on the land, Alexx softly closing the door. Horatio crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

"Fever, sore throat, body aches," Alexx said. "I think it's the flu, also. However, if she doesn't feel better by Monday, I would take her to the pediatrician. He'll probably want a blood test to make sure it isn't more serious."

Horatio nodded. "Is this serious? Could we be looking at a relapse?"

Alexx let out a deep sigh. "Horatio, she has all the symptoms of the flu. But I couldn't say it wasn't a relapse without a blood test, either. And no," she held up her hand before he could suggest it, "we are not doing one here for her. Kids get sick. It's normal. But if she doesn't shake it in a couple of days, have Suzie take Madison to her doctor."

"Yes, ma'am," Horatio said, his shoulders dropping slightly. He gently squeezed his friend's arm. "Thank you, for checking on her."

"Anytime, sugar," Alexx said, then her eyes danced in amusement. "It's never easy on first-time parents when their babies get sick."

Horatio looked up sharply and pressed his lips firmly together. He wasn't sure what to say. Finally, "I'm her uncle."

"I know," Alexx told him. "And a good uncle. And I've watched you grow into a good father this summer."

A half-smile played across his lips and he shook his head.

"H!" Eric Delko called from below. He strode into the lab, glaring upward. "Frank Tripp has a suspect in the interview room and wants to know what's keeping you."

Horatio frowned; Alexx saw his eyes dart toward the office.

"I'll sit with Madison," Alexx told him. "Go put the bad guy behind bars."

"Yep," Horatio agreed. "This won't take long." He walked quickly down the stairs, joining Eric at the bottom and walking from the lab.

Alexx watched him go, shaking her head as she thought.

Horatio opened the door and entered the interview room. Frank stood with his arms folded, scowling equally at Pharis and Horatio.

"Well, Frank, has Mr. Pharis gotten smart yet?" Horatio asked.

"Nope," Frank told him. "Still as dumb as drawer of rocks."

Horatio walked to the window and squinted through the glass. The Miami sun had moved closer to the Gulf of Mexico and the shadows were starting to grow long.

"Mr. Pharis," Horatio said. "Normally, normally, I would play this game." Horatio turned around and tilted his head. "But not today. I just don't have the time. So this is what we're going to do: You can admit that your little 'prank' was intentional and we'll talk about what you know or I'll give you to the DA with first-degree murder charges. Now that's the death penalty in this state." Horatio straighten up. "You have thirty-seconds to decide."

"You can't –" Pharis sputtered.

"Twenty-seven seconds," Horatio said, glancing at his watch.

Pharis looked from Horatio in surprise to Frank. Frank was grinning. "He means it," Frank said. "Should I go start the paperwork, Horatio?"

"Mr. Pharis still has fifteen second," Horatio said.

Panicked, Pharis held up both hands. "Okay, okay. I meant for the car's system to lock up but I had no idea there'd be people in there."

Horatio dropped his left hand, covering his watch with his jacket sleeve. Frank chuckled, sitting down across from Pharis. "Tell me about it, punk."


	6. Fathers, Be good to Your Daughters

_Disclaimer: In addition to the obvious, I don't own the children's book mentioned near the end of this chapter. But it is my favorite, so that should count for something._

_A/N: Someone asked who Katie is and why she called Horatio "yesterday." I think this chapter clears that up a little bit; remember you first saw her in the pizzeria in _Statues_? Well, let's say the phone call at the end of _Statues_ led to a first date which has lead to a series of dates for these two. Thank you for the reviews, too! Your feedback helps me to be a better writer, which gets you better stories. Plus, I enjoy the "conversation" they create between us. _

"There's my lambchop," Kenwall drawled, pushing open the door to the ballistics lab. Calleigh looked up from the countertop where she was documenting the bullet that arrived earlier. She smiled as her father came in the room.

"Dad!" she said happily, setting down her pen and greeting him with a hug and kiss to the cheek. "What brings you to CSI?"

"Well, I came to see your Horatio, but the young lady at reception said he went home early," Kenwall told her. "So here I am. How about dinner tonight?"

Calleigh's face clouded. "I would love to, Dad," she said, "but Eric and I already have plans."

Kenwall frowned for a moment and shrugged. He held his arm out generously. "Well, we'll just bring him along. Don't you think I should get to know your young man better outside of work, now?"

Calleigh watched the expression on Kenwall's face. She hadn't yet told him her relationship with Eric had finally moved beyond "just friends." It seemed he knew already. She wasn't sure what that meant.

"Dad," she began carefully. "Eric and I –"

"— are finally dating," Kenwall finished. "From what I'm told, it's about time." He sighed and took Calleigh's hand. "Lambchop, I'm not the man I was when you where in high school. Now, I know, I've made some mistakes in my life. Some of the ideas your granddaddy taught me just are not true." He took a breath. "Eric Delko is a good man and as long as he makes you happy, that is all I care about."

Calleigh studied her father, at a lost for words. Instead, she stepped forward and put her arms around him and her head on his shoulder.

"I think –" she whispered, terrified she was saying it out loud "— I think I love him, Dad."

Kenwall patted her back, surprised by her sudden embrace. He sighed deeply. "All the more reason I should get to know him," he said softly.

_--LMM--_

Horatio unlocked the door to Suzie and Madison's apartment, still carrying Madison in one arm and with a pink backpack over his shoulder. Madison rested her head on his shoulder, sleepy from the Dimetapp.

"Here we go," he said, stepping and closing the door behind him. Carefully, he set Madison on her feet. "Go put on your pajamas. I'll be right in with something for you to drink."

Madison nodded and made her way to her bedroom. Horatio watched her go. When she closed the door to her bedroom, he scrubbed at his face and debated his next step. He wasn't often in Suzie's apartment and didn't know what she had available. In the kitchen he guiltily opened a few cupboards before finding one with tea. Lots of tea. Like many young women, Suzie seemed to have a fondness for herbal teas and a small tower of boxes tumbled out.

Alexx hadn't sent him with any suggestions for taking care of Madison. Horatio glanced at the clock in the kitchen; Suzie wouldn't be out of class until nine o'clock, more than four hours away.

He admitted a momentary defeat. Flipping his cell phone open, Horatio called his girlfriend.

"Land of insanity," Katie responded cheerfully. "Two small children for sale – hey! Don't do that my computer!"

There was giggling from behind her. Horatio pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, I called at a bad time."

"No," Katie told him. "Hang on, okay?" She moved the phone away but he still heard her order, "Out, bratlings! I'm talking to my friend. Yes, I'll take you for dinner, but give me two minutes." There was a pause and then she returned. "Love my sister, but I didn't realize I was babysitting tonight. So, darling-mine, how are things?"

"I need some advice," he said and then smiled into the phone. "Especially since you seem to be so good with your niece and nephew."

"I mean it, going cheap," she offered again.

"Madison has come down with the flu," Horatio told her. "I've got her home and I'm staring at a cupboard of tea boxes. What should I be doing here?"

Katie nodded, though Horatio couldn't see her do so. "Okay," Katie said. "Is there any chamomile or peppermint tea in that cupboard?"

"Peppermint."

"Good," Katie said. Horatio took the box out and closed the cupboard door. "How about some soup or broth? Is she even hungry?"

"I — I don't know," Horatio said.

There was a soft laugh. "Okay," Katie said. "Make her the peppermint tea and see if she's hungry. If she is, make her some chicken broth, even if it's from bullion cubes. And some dry toast."

Horatio opened a second cupboard and found chicken bullion. He put the bottle next to the tea. On the stove was a kettle, so he took that to the sink and filled it with water.

"Anything else?" Katie inquired.

"What about medicine?" Horatio asked. "Alexx gave her something at CSI."

"I'm sure Suzie has something there," Katie said. "Look for Children's Tylenol or something like that. Do not," Katie stressed, "give her aspirin. It can do bad things to little kids with the flu. If all you find is grown-up Tylenol, give her one and not two tablets."

Horatio put the kettle back on the stove. "Thank you," he said simply.

"See if you can find a washcloth for her forehead," Katie added. "Ruthie likes that and it makes them feel better."

Horatio peeked out the kitchen and saw Madison's bedroom door was open again. "Okay," he said. "It looks like she's in bed."

"Yeah, and my two are about to gnaw on the walls," Katie said. "I'll talk with you later?"

"Definitely," Horatio agreed. "Later then."

"Later, sexy," Katie chuckled.

Horatio clicked off. Tea. Washcloth. Children's Tylenol. The water was heating on the stovetop, so he headed to their bathroom and hoped he'd find the medicine cabinet there.

Five minutes later, Horatio carried the peppermint tea and two small tablets into Madison. She was looking at one of her picture books, Bunny tucked in beside her, and grinned at him.

"Take these down," he told her, passing the pills and teas to Madison. She sipped the lukewarm tea and put one tablet on her tongue before taking a second gulp of the tea. She did the same thing with the other tablet. When she laid back, he left for a moment and returned with the cool washcloth for her forehead.

"Uncle Horatio," Madison said softly, "I still don't feel so good."

Horatio brushed back her hair. "I've heard something about that," he told her. She smiled weakly at him and sat up a little to drink her tea. "Do you want something to eat?"

Madison shook her head 'no.' Horatio picked up her book. It was a Sesame Street picture book with Grover on the cover. He read the title and smiled; it was The Monster at the End of this Book.

"How about I read to you, would you like that?" he asked. Madison nodded 'yes' and held her stuffed bunny closely.

Horatio leaned back in the chair by her bed and opened the book. It was a book the definitely needed funny voices; Horatio remembered reading it to Raymond Jr. when he was Madison's size.

" 'On the first page, what did it say?'' Horatio read aloud, trying to sound as much like a furry blue creature with a big red noise as he possibly could. Madison giggled beside him. " 'Did that say there will be a _Monster_ at the end of this book?'" He looked to Madison, who nodded her head vigorously in reply. " 'It did? Oh, I am so scared of _Monsters_!'"

Madison giggled and then coughed, her little shoulders shaking. Horatio stopped reading to rub her back. "See?" she said. "He's only scared because he doesn't have an Uncle Horatio," she explained. "The monsters of really scared of you."

The corner of Horatio's lips turned up, wondering how she had made that connection. "Yep," he told her. "They all are, because they know, I will find them." He paused and lifted up the book. "Shall I continue?"

"Uh-huh," Madison said. "I'm not scared."

Horatio kissed the top of her head and turned the page on poor Grover.

_--LMM--_

Suzie opened the door to her apartment after 10 o'clock. Horatio had left a message that Madison wasn't feeling well and he was taking her to the apartment rather than his house for evening.

There was one light on in the room and the T.V. was tuned to the 10 o'clock news, but muted. The door to Madison's room was cracked open but the inside was dark. Horatio's suit jacket was hung on the back of the dining room chair and Suzie quietly put her bookbag on the table she used for her desk. She walked around the livingroom set. Horatio lay stretched out on the couch, arm tucked beneath his head, sound asleep.

Suzie folded her arms and watched the sleeping man for a moment. His face was relaxed, making him appear years younger, and his red hair had fallen toward his eyes. _It makes you my family_, he had once told her and since Madison had first gotten sick, he had made it a point to refer to her as his sister-in-law.

"I wish I had met you first," she whispered to the sleeping man. Suzie took the throw blanket from the back of armchair and carefully spread it over Horatio. She picked up the remote and turned off the TV and then the lamp before heading into her bedroom.


	7. So Mothers, Be Good to You Daughters, To

_Disclaimer: Things that are not mine, in no particular order – Horatio; Madison; anything CSI: Miami; _The Forensic Examiner_; a shiny new Hummer (H2, not that excuse called the H3); a million dollars; the Internet; Maxine Gray; fluency in Spanish. I'm working on the Spanish, though._

_A/N: Don't know where the angst came from, but Horatio is just so good at it! Our plot inches on; thank you again for the reviews! I was playing around with PhotoShop (something else I don't own) and made two "credits" for Madison that I'd like to share. One is Madison at five; the other I found a girl who could be Madison at about 12. So go my live LiveJournal page – reportergirlkes – and take a look! Let me know what you think._

Horatio waited in the outer room of pediatrician Dr. María Peñalosa's office. The doctor had agreed to see Madison first thing on Monday morning before Suzie had to be at work. Madison had a fretful weekend but was feeling more like herself by Sunday night. Still, she had a cough so Suzie had called for an appointment.

While he waited, Suzie and Madison were in one of the examination rooms with the doctor. He idly flipped a copy of _Boy's Life_ magazine.

_Am I always going to be this nervous when she has the flu? _he wondered, looking at the bright pictures. _We could have lost her twice in the past year_.

The image of his nephew, Ray-Jay, came to mind. The last time he saw the boy, Ray was running up the steps of a private Learjet to be with his father. _Their father_, Horatio corrected himself. For a moment, Horatio was angry at Raymond for taking one child and leaving the other. Where was Raymond when his daughter was sick with cancer or possibly drowning in Biscayne Bay?

Where was Ray? Horatio wondered. Was he in an Argentinean school now? Was his Spanish good enough to talk with the other boys? What about soccer?

_Does Raymond go to his soccer games? _Horatio continued. Ray-Jay had been the star of his seventh-grade soccer team. Even when things were tense between him and Yelina, Horatio hadn't missed a soccer game, often standing well away from Yelina and Stetler on the sidelines.

"Sir?"

Horatio looked up from the magazine. The doctor's receptionist was leaning out the glass window. "Would you like some coffee?" she asked.

"Uhm, no," Horatio said. "Thank you, though."

The woman smiled and glanced behind her. "Your little girl is with the doctor, now?"

"Yes," Horatio said. 'She hasn't been feeling well."

She leaned a bit further out the window. "Well, don't worry," she said confidently. "Kids bounce. She'll be okay."

Horatio nodded in return, praying she was right. "I'm sure they do."

_Because if she isn't, Madison would need a second transfusion_.

Horatio swallowed hard, suddenly engulfed in nausea. He and Suzie were not matches for Madison; Ray was and he was in Argentina with his parents. Horatio felt chilled and leaned forward, resting his head in hands.

"Sir?" The woman said again. She disappeared from the window and reappeared a moment later in the waiting room with a paper cup of water. "Sir, are you alright?"

She pushed the cup of water into Horatio's hands. He took it and sipped. Horatio inhaled deeply and finished the water in the cup.

"I'm, I'm fine," he told her.

"You went all pale on me," she said. "Are you sure?"

Horatio met her kind eyes and understood why she worked in a pediatrician's office – to help the parents who were nervous for their children.

"Yes," he told her again. "Just, worried about my niece."

The door to the waiting room opened and Suzie, carrying Madison, and the doctor walked in.

"Well, there isn't a need to worry right now," Dr. Peñalosa said. "Madison had the flu but the worst is over now. In fact, if she's up to, she can go to school tomorrow."

Suzie kissed Madison's cheek and set her down. "Maddie, sweetie, why don't you play in the toy room for a minute?"

Madison glanced from her mother to her uncle. "You just want to talk with Uncle Horatio where I can't hear," she informed Suzie.

Suzie frowned and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's right," she said. "I do. Now go play, little girl."

"How about I show you what we have?" the receptionist suggested and offered her hand. Madison stuck out her lip to pout but stopped after a stern glance from Horatio. She took the woman's hand and they walked to the playroom.

Horatio stepped closer to Suzie, one hand on his hip and the other on the small of her back. He fixed his eyes on the doctor.

"I took a blood sample from Madison," Dr. Peñalosa explained. "I'm having it run as a precaution, so your family can have piece of mind. But my professional opinion, without double checking with the test, is Madison has had the flu. The good news is she probably won't have it again this season."

Horatio's head dropped in relief. Suzie relaxed under his touch.

"I know it's difficult for parents when their children have face cancer," she continued. "You're not alone in hypervigilance about Madison's health. Her six-month evaluation came back entirely positive. Her bloodwork is normal." She smiled at Suzie. "You have a healthy kid. In another six months we'll talk more long-term, but right now, everything is good."

Suzie wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. "Thank you," she said. "I – we – just wanted to be sure."

"That's the good news," Dr. Peñalosa said. "Now, here's the bad. I was going to call you this afternoon, but since you're here anyway –"

Dr. Peñalosa took an envelope from the file folder she carried passed it to Suzie. Suzie opened with a curious frown and silently read. She covered her mouth and handed it to Horatio.

"Family Court had that couriered over this weekend," the doctor said. "It seems they are requesting Madison's health records, including a history of her illness."

Horatio gave the request back to the doctor before he could crumple it.

"I hoped I could talk with you about it before I complied," Dr. Peñalosa said softly.

Suzie looked helplessly to Horatio. He nodded slightly to her.

"Suzie's mother, Louise Barnam, has filed for non-parental custody of Madison," Horatio explained. "It seems the court has started its investigation."

The doctor's eyebrows went up. "That seems unusual," she said. "Madison has a very loving family. Throughout the past year I've gotten to know you both pretty well. I wish more of my kids had parents like you."

"Well, my mother doesn't see it that way," Suzie said, crossing her arms. "All she sees is how I was five years ago."

The doctor frowned and shook her head. "Well, I don't know what five years ago was like," she said, "but whatever I submit will include what I just told you."

Horatio nodded, taking his sunglasses from an inside pocket. "Thank you, doctor," he said. "That's the best we could ask for."

They said their good-byes to Dr. Peñalosa and the receptionist returned with Madison. Together they walked out to the parking lot where Suzie's Saturn and Horatio's Lexus sat side-by-side.

"Okay, little girl," Suzie said, hugging Madison. "Uncle Horatio is going to take you to the daycare at his work and I will pick you up right after I finish with my work. You be a good girl."

Madison coughed a little bit. "Okay, Mommy," she said. She climbed in the backseat of Horatio's car as he held the door open for her. Madison leaned over and pulled it shut herself.

Horatio slid on his sunglasses. "I will – I'll call Kenwall when I get into CSI," he told her. "It sounds like there may be a court date soon."

"I could scream, Horatio," Suzie whispered furiously. "Why is she doing this to me? Why is she doing this to us? Why won't she believe that Madison is okay? Why does she want to take my little girl away from me?"

Taken aback by her outburst, Horatio could only shake his head. "Here," he soothed and reached out for Suzie, "come here." He took the younger woman in his arms while she struggled for control of her emotions. "I don't know," he murmured. "I don't know. But I do know, I will do everything in my power to see that she does not gain Madison."

Suzie nodded against his shoulder and sniffled. He shifted her slightly away and took his handkerchief from his pocket. Horatio gave her the square of cloth and Suzie wiped at her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Madison is watching."

Horatio nodded toward his niece, who was peering over the edge of the car door. "I'll take care of her," he told her. "You should go to work. I'll see you tomorrow after classes."

"Right," Suzie said and squeezed his hand. "Thanks." She waved to Madison and blew her a kiss as she headed to her own car. Horatio climbed into the Lexis.

Madison waited until they were on I-95 before asking, "Why is Mommy so sad?"

Horatio glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Because, uhm, because your grandmother wants to make sure you have the best life possible and doesn't realize your Mommy can do that for you."

"Oh." Quiet while Madison thought about this. She coughed twice and leaned back in the seat. "Why doesn't she like Mommy?"

Horatio watched the traffic ahead of them as he thought that question over. There was too much to explain to a five-year-old in morning rush hour traffic. At last, Horatio offered this: "Sometimes, when we love each other, we make the mistake of thinking we always know what's best for the other person. I think your grandmother likes your Mommy; she's just making a mistake because she wants the best for you and Mommy."

Madison mulled that statement for a while. They were almost at Miami-Dade Police Department headquarters, the other side of the block from CSI, when she said at last, "I love you, Uncle Horatio. But I don't know what's best for you so I'm not gonna make you do anything like that."

The depth of the statement struck Horatio. He pulled the car into the parking garage shared by the departments. He parked and stepped out of the car to open Madison's door.

Horatio dropped to one knee and took off his sunglasses to see Madison better. "Well," he said, "I love you, too. And I only want good things for you."

Madison grinned and threw her arms around his neck.

_--LLM--_

With Madison settled in the emergency daycare's infirmary, Horatio continued back to CSI and the start of his work day. He greeted Eric in the breakroom while fixing a cup of coffee and discussed an article in _The Forensic Examiner_ concerning eyewitnesses and vehicle identification from crime scenes. Once in his office, Horatio quickly sorted the files on his desk and settled down, finishing his coffee. He opened his PDA and called Kenwall Duquesne.

"'Morning, Horatio," Kenwall answered. "I tried to find you on Friday but you left early."

"Madison came down with the flu," Horatio explained. "I wanted to get her home as soon as I could. What I discovered this morning, is her medical history has been requested by Family Court."

"Yeah," Kenwall said. "We've got a court date coming up. Family Court will hear us next month; in the meantime, a social worker will interview you, Suzie and Madison, along with Mrs. Barnam. There needs to be home visits to both your houses, too."

Horatio made a note to himself. "That's fine," Horatio said. "I expected that."

Kenwall cleared his throat. "The court is also asking for your performance review and work record."

Horatio added to his note and scowled. "Fine," he said neutrally.

"This is where it's a bit difficult," Kenwall continued, although his voice sounded uncomfortable. "There will be questions about Suzie's drug use and Madison's conception and there will be a few questions about the officer-involved shootings you've taken part in."

Silence while Horatio continued to make notes. _IAB_, he thought angrily. Rick Stetler would be more than happy to elaborate on those shootings.

"Horatio," Kenwall said. "I need to ask you about those shootings."

"Kenwall," Horatio said tightly, "each of those deaths was justified and in the line of duty."

"I'm sure they are," Kenwall answered quickly. "We just need to make sure the court also sees that."

Horatio flipped his calendar page open. "When are we looking at these interviews?" he asked.

They spent five minutes working through the schedule and were about hang up, when Kenwall added, "The social worker should call you today or tomorrow. Her name is Maxine Gray. She's new to Miami but has a reputation for being a tough lady from New Hampshire."

Horatio added the name to his notes. "Thank you, Kenwall. I'll see you on Thursday."

After they hung-up, Horatio leaned back in his chair. His next step would be to have a few words with human resources about releasing his work performance records with as little input from Stetler as possible. In the meantime, he still has a department to run and a city to protect.

His cellphone chirped. He flipped it open for the first text message of the day and the first DB of the week.

Horatio looked out his window. Clouds had blown in from the ocean and the blue sky was now overcast.


	8. Don't Mess with Paula

_Disclaimer: Maxine Gray is not mine; I figure like most people of a certain age, she's retiring to Florida now that her daughter Amy has gone onto other endeavors. So, _Judging Amy_, not mine. _CSI: Miami_, not mine. A condo along the ocean in South Beach, not mine. A small grey cat napping inside the paper bag I brought dinner home in, all mine._

_A/N: Between a terrible case of writer's block and a group of college students who are sucking me into their _Veggie Tales_ addiction, I'm behind in getting anything written and out to you. Please accept the following as a peace offering and a promise that more will follow soon (if I have to hide all the _Veggie Tales_ DVDs, I will)._

"I'm looking for Horatio Caine," the woman informed Paula. She was an older woman, not quite mid-sixties, with steel grey hair pulled into a stern bun. She had a pleasant smile, but Paula noted it didn't reach her eyes. She passed a business card over the desk. "I believe he's expecting me."

Paula read the card: Maxine Gray, Social Worker, Miami-Dade Department of Children and Family Services. Paula frowned and checked her copy of Horatio's calendar on the computer.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Lt. Caine is on a scene right now. Would you like to leave a message?"

The woman continued to smile and shifted the bag on her shoulder. "I'll wait." She turned and glanced down the hall. "Which way is his office?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Paula said again. "You can't go in there. The atrium is over here," Paul pointed, "and you're welcome to sit there."

Maxine Gray gave the atrium a second glance. She smiled again at Paula. "I would prefer to wait in Lt. Caine's office."

_And I would prefer Tyler to ask me out for dinner Friday_, Paula thought but smiled in return. "I understand," Paula said. "But it is the crime lab. I cannot allow you in without an escort."

Maxine adjusted the strap of the bag she carried. "I realize that," she said. "But I do work for the county. I assure you, I will keep my hands to myself."

Paula did her best not to snort in laughter. Serenely, she said, "As a fellow county employee, I can assure you that only authorized individuals or people escorted by authorized individuals can go into the crime lab because of the possibility of jeopardizing on-going investigations." She motioned again toward the atrium. "You're welcome to wait here."

The women stared at each other with fake, plastered on smiles. Maxine started to say something, Paula cut her off with a polite, "Ma'am, you try it and I'll arrest you for trespass."

Maxine sized up the desk sergeant and continued to smile. "I'll just wait in the atrium, then," she said pleasantly.


	9. Interview with Mrs Gray

_Disclaimer: I dwell within dream worlds and dream possibilities. However, I don't get paid for doing so. The characters and situations of _CSI: Miami_ & _Judging Amy_ are not mine, at least not while I'm awake._

_A/N: Thank you for patience! There will be more, this I promise. The writer's block is better and my lovely students will be going home in a week for Thanksgiving. Now all I need is a new coffee shop and we'll be all set._

_Somebody mentioned the chemistry between Horatio and Suzie and suggested them as a 'ship. In this story (and the possible third – I'm not kidding, I've been sketching it) I have no plans to 'ship them, but I like the idea. Maybe in a short-story at some point I'll explore that idea. I just want to let you know it's bubbling somewhere in my imagination._

After an hour of staring out the atrium windows, Maxine decided this waiting was a waste of her valuable time. She had reviewed the file pertaining to the custody of Madison Keaton for the third time and drew a diagram for herself to better understand this family's structure. Mother, child. Paternal uncle as co-parent. Separate residences with the child splitting her time between mother and uncle. Grandmother from another state, no previous contact with the child, demanding custody. Half-brother who seemed to have disappeared into the night with his mother. Father dead in the line of duty; an undercover narcotics officer who had an affair with the child's mother.

Maxine took off her reading glasses. Taking a deep breath, she slid the last file away in the folder.

_Such a soap-opera_, she thought. People really need to consider how their actions affect their children a little more often. _Well_, she mused_, if they did I guess I'd be out of a job. Again_.

"Mrs. Gray?" A man with red hair asked as he approached her from the elevators. He took off his sunglasses and tucked them away in his jacket pocket before extending his hand. "I'm Lt. Horatio Caine. How may I help you?"

Maxine stood and shook Horatio's hand. "Lt. Caine," she said pleasantly. "Good to meet you. I was hoping we could talk about Madison."

Horatio nodded. "Of course," he said. He motioned her back toward Paula at the reception desk. "Let's get you a pass and we can go up to my office."

Paula had the pass waiting when they stepped back to her desk. She handed it to Horatio and passed the sign-in board to Maxine.

"Our desk sergeant, Paula Martin," Horatio introduced. "Paula, Maxine Gray."

"We've met," Paula said, taking the board back from Maxine.

Horatio led Maxine through the crime lab, past trace, and up to his office. He frowned to himself, checking the the lab again in a second glance. From the corner of eye he thought he saw someone, head bent over evidence on the countertop, ears covered by headphones. He shook his head slightly and continued on, Maxine behind him, leaving the empty lab behind.

Maxine took a seat in the chair across from Horatio's desk, settling comfortable with her notepad in the open. Horatio eased himself into his own chair. From inside his desk he took out a slim vocorder and clicked the button.

She eyed the vocorder. "You feel a recording of our conversation is necessary?" she asked.

Horatio smiled tightly to himself and chuckled without humor. "I do," he said.

When he didn't elaborate, Maxine pulled out a sheet of question. "As I'm sure your aware, lieutenant, there is some concern about your niece, Madison Keaton's, custody arrangements. I was hoping you could explain it to me. Also, I'd like to make an appointment to visit your home."

Horatio laced his fingers on the desk. "That can be arranged," he said, his voice noncommittal. "What would you like to ask me?"

Maxine took a notepad from her bag and settled against the back of the chair. She nodded to Horatio. "Let's start at the beginning, then. How did you come to know Madison and take responsibility for her support? You are, after all, her uncle, so this is an unusual situation."

Horatio pressed his lips tightly together as he planned his answer. Maxine sat expectantly, face neutral, watching him. Horatio tilted his head to the side. "Suzie asked for assistance following a traffic stop," he said. "During the course the investigation, I met her daughter. She bears a striking resemblance to my mother and, knowing Suzie's friendship with Raymond, I ran a genetic test to confirm her relationship." Horatio paused, leaning forward on the desk with hands folded. "She is my niece. Therefore, her well-being is my responsibility. Suzie has become a dear friend and I have an interest in her well-being, also. Does this answer your question?"

Maxine offered her helpful smile again. "Well, I can understand taking on the financial responsibility for your brother." She checked a fact sheet from her file folder. "He was killed in March of 2001, correct?" Horatio nodded in reply; that particular fiction needed to continue. "However, sharing custody with Suzie. Now why does an uncle do that when he's not required to do so?"

Horatio shifted ever-so-slightly in his chair and fixed Maxine with a stare. "Because," he said slowly, "because she is my niece and Suzie and I have agreed to raise her together."

"Still, you have no other children," Maxine pushed. "I see that you're divorced. You also are in charge of the crime lab. I'm having trouble understanding why, especially when you don't have to do so."

Horatio slid Maxine's card across his desk, the better to read it. Finally, he said, "Mrs. Gray, do you have children?"

"Three," she told him. "Plus, I raised my brother's son."

There was silence as they continued to sit at the desk. The tape in the vocorder ground onward.

"Your brother's son," Horatio repeated to her. "Then maybe, you do understand." Maxine blinked. "Mrs. Gray, Madison needs a father and I love my niece. Last spring we nearly lost her to cancer. Her life is only just beginning. I decided I wanted to be part of that life, rather than a man who just sends a check to her mother for someone else's actions."

They stared at each for a very long minute, waiting the other to make the next statement. From long experience, Horatio knew not to offer information.

Maxine reviewed her notes and tried that smile again. It quickly fell away. "Yes, Lt. Caine," she said at last. "I do understand. Now, I need you to give me something that will make a judge understand."

Horatio chuckled without humor. He raised his eyes from his steepled fingers. "Alright," he told her. "Tell the judge I love my niece as my own daughter and to that end, I will do everything I am capable of doing to raise her, provide for her, protect her and educate her." Horatio opened his desk drawer and withdrew a file folder. He passed the folder to Maxine. "Inside is a listing of my finances, my bank statements and stock holdings. Also, copies of my past performance reviews from the department." He tapped the folder. "Kenwall informed me what you would be looking for in your assessment. I believe all the pertinent documents are here."

Maxine opened the plain folder and quickly scanned the contents. "I must say, lieutenant, I'm impressed," she said. "Normally it takes a month before I can get this information from a family."

"That would be another month in which Madison is afraid someone is going to take her away from her mother," Horatio told her. "Not if I can help it."

Maxine tucked the folder away for further review. She pulled a small calendar from her bag. "Good," she said, opening the pages. "So when can we schedule a home visit? I would like to see Madison interacting with you."

Horatio reached inside his jacket pocket and took out his PDA, flicking the top open and calling up his calendar. "We can do that," he told her.

They took a few minutes to find a Saturday afternoon for Maxine to visit. Finishing up, Maxine, added, "Lieutenant, I seem to have heard you have a girlfriend."

Horatio nodded, a half-smile on the corner of his lips. "Yep. Katie DeMark. She's a writer at the Herald."

"Do you think it would be possible for me to meet her, also?" Maxine asked.

The smile vanished and Horatio glanced at Maxine with concern in his eyes.

"Come now, Lt. Caine," Maxine said reasonably. "If this woman is part of your life, she is part of your niece's. I would like to know her a little when I make my recommendations."

"That can be arranged, also," Horatio said. "I'll ask her to stop by during your visit."

"Thank you again," she said, standing up. "I've taken up enough of your time as it is."

Horatio stood with her. "You're very welcome. You'll be meeting with Suzie this evening?"

Maxine nodded as they left his office and headed through the lab. "Yes," she said. "Ms. Barnam seemed very pleasant on the phone. She has a tendency to speak quickly."

This time there was a humor to Horatio's chuckle. He made a mental note to call Suzie after the upcoming visit. "Only when she's nervous," Horatio explained. "Suzie is an intelligent young woman. You'll see that she'll slow down as you visit with her."

They reached the doors to the atrium and Paula's domain. Maxine shifted her bag and took in the sight of Horatio, a tall man with her hair and slight slouch. _Now why couldn't Amy find someone like this?_ she wondered. "I'm sure I will," Maxine agreed.

Horatio opened the door for her and they shook hand. Just as Maxine stepped into the atrium, another tall, slender man with dark hair approached. Horatio's face became stern and blank at the other man's appearance.

"Oh, you must be Maxine Gray from Children and Family Services," he said smoothly, almost as if this was a pleasant surprise. "I'm Det. Rick Stetler from the Internal Affairs Bureau." He nodded toward Horatio, who was now frowning. "I heard you were meeting with our head of CSI."

Maxine turned from Horatio, with a confused glance back to him, as Stetler addressed her. "Yes," she said noncommittally. "We've had a nice visit."

"Good, good," Stetler said, rubbing at his jaw. "I just wanted to let you know I'm available at anytime if you have questions." He opened his wallet and took out a business card which he handed to Maxine.

Horatio's jaw worked soundlessly. Stetler glanced from Maxine to Horatio, looking smug.

"Thank you, detective," Maxine said pleasantly. The false smile had returned. "I'll remember that." She tucked the card away. "Gentlemen, if you will excuse me?"

"Of course, Mrs. Gray," Horatio said readily.

Maxine returned the visitor's pass to Paula and she stepped on the elevator. The doors slid shut.

Horatio turned to Stetler. "Rick," he said slowly, "stay out of this. It does not concern you."

Stetler folded his arms. "Oh really?" he countered. "Just like Yelina's whereabouts don't concern me? Where is she, Horatio?"

Horatio met Stetler's eyes. "She's with her family and she and Ray Jr. are safe."

"Yeah, I've heard that before," Stetler said. "I think I have the right to know where that is."

Horatio grinned sadly and shook his head. "No," he said, "you don't."

With that he turned and walked back to the lab, leaving Stetler alone in the atrium.


	10. The Littlest CSI

_Disclaimer: Mmmm….fresh chocolate chip cookies…..trade you a cookie for Horatio Caine…._

_A/N: It's the little things that are important to me when I write. It seems that canon has changed and I am now slightly alt-universe, following _Manhattan Manhunt_ and _Nailed_ (and my own insistence that Calleigh stay in ballistics). The original bios, which CBS(dot)com has taken down, stated Horatio grew-up in Miami during the 1960s and Ms. Caine, a community activist, was murdered in Miami. It was his mother's murder that propelled Horatio toward police work and later into crime scene investigation – with a stint in bomb squad, which is still canon. I realize canon now has Ms. Caine killed in New York, especially since the writers now have Horatio living and starting his career in New York City. Being the good writer of the occasional fanfic, I need to tell you I am staying with the original bio for this story and the third one I'm sketching. I doubt this will make a major difference in my stories or the characters at a later time, but it's only fair to let you know this now. Personally, I think Horatio's character makes more sense as a Miami-born and –raised cop. I just can't see him as a New York cop and I have known and worked with a few from Western New York. (All good people, by-the-way.)_

Friday finally arrived. Horatio stood beside CSI1, leaning against the Hummer, scanning the crowd of children for his niece. Madison was a quick child; after the scene a week earlier with her grandmother, she had been nervous. No matter how Suzie or Horatio tried to reassure Madison, she become clingy, which was unlike her, and worried. It had been a bad idea to allow Mrs. Barnam to meet Madison, Horatio could see now.

Horatio had no fondness for that woman. He had composed letter after letter in his head to have couriered to Raymond about this business but in the end decided there was nothing his "dead" brother could do from where he was. Raymond would hear of this only after it was settled and Louise Barnam was back in Indiana.

The knot of children burst through the doors for a weekend of freedom. They chattered loudly, veering in groups and singles toward the cars lined up in front of St. Anne's. Horatio's eyes hunted through the sea of plaid uniforms until they rested on a group of kindergarten girls, holding hands and skipping. Madison's red-head bobbed up and down and she giggled with her friends.

He held up his arm for a moment until he caught her eye. Madison waved happily back to him and turned to hug one of her friends. With a bounce she turned and ran to her uncle.

Horatio caught her easily in his arms, picking the child up in a twirl. Madison laughed again and he squeeze her tightly, pressing his cheek against hers. With a flourish, he returned the giggling kindergartener to the ground and dropped to one knee to be at her eye-level.

"And how," he asked, "was school today, sweetheart?"

Madison bounced on the balls of her feet. "Did you know some dinosaurs could fly?" she asked him, spreading her arms out like wings. "Like great big birds?"

Horatio chuckled at her imitation. "I've heard something like that," he told her. "Maybe you can tell me about it on our way to CSI?"

Madison nodded happily and followed Horatio to the back door of the Hummer. He opened the door for her to climb in. Madison reached for the seatbelt and he helped her to fasten it across her lap.

Madison told Horatio all about the flying dinosaurs, which somehow looked like egrets with scales. Horatio watched traffic with occasional glances into the backseat. When she ran out of descriptions, he saw her take a picture book from her backpack and start leafing through pages.

Horatio's cellphone buzzed and he answered it with one hand. Madison looked up from her book and leaned forward.

"Horatio," he said, noting her interest.

"Hey, H," Eric greeted. "We got a call out at Biscayne Boulevard and North East 12 Street. Patrol thinks it was an exchange gone bad."

"Okay, Eric," Horatio said, glancing again at Madison in the backseat. "Can you handle this and catch up with me back at the lab?"

"Yeah," Eric said. "But I think you want to stop by, though. It's not drugs and it has the hallmarks of Mal Noche."

_Mal Noche_. Horatio squinted ahead. That changed things. "I'll be there, Eric," he said. "Do we have a DB?"

"No," Eric said to Horatio's relief. "Paramedics are transporting the victim now. Ryan is going with them for trace."

Horatio nodded to himself. "Good. I'll be there in five." He clicked off and raised his head to better see Madison in the mirror. "Madison, do you think you can handle a little adventure this afternoon?"

Madison grinned and bobbed her head.

"Good, because I have to go to a crime scene for a few minutes," he told her. "And I need you to be very good when we get there. You have to do exactly what I tell you to do while we're there, okay?"

"Okay," Madison told him. "Can I be a CSI, too? Like you and Mr. Ryan?"

Horatio's lips moved in a slight smile, thinking of a way to keep his niece out of trouble. "Yes, you can be," he said. "Do you have a notebook in that bag of yours?"

Madison dove into her bookbag, hunting for a notebook. She came out, frowning and shaking her head.

"No matter," Horatio said, pausing at a stop light. He reached over and opened the glove compartment in the Hummer, pulling a small notepad out. He turned around and handed it to Madison before the light changed to green. "There you go," he said. "When we get to the scene, your job is to write down everything you see. Use all the words you know and draw pictures if you don't know the words."

Madison wrinkled her forehead in concern. "Do CSIs do that? I thought you got to play with the neat toys."

Horatio guided the Hummer down Biscayne Boulevard. "Yep, CSIs do that," he explained. "It's the most important thing we do. We write down everything we see so we can figure out what happened."

Madison grinned again. "I can do that," she told him excitedly.

A minute later CSI1 pulled beside CSI2, driven by Eric Delko. Eric was already out of his Hummer and examining the scene. Horatio parked the Hummer and stepped out, walking to the back of the passenger's side to let Madison out. She held her police notepad tightly in one hand and a pencil on the other, her eyes round with excitement. Horatio took the hand that held the pencil and walked with her toward Det. Frank Tripp.

"Oh, hell, Horatio," Frank said seeing him approach with a five-year-old. "What's she doing here? This is a crime scene."

"I'm aware of that, Frank," Horatio said. "We were on our way back to CSI from her school when I got the call out. Since I can't leave a child in the Hummer, Madison has promised to do as she's told."

Frank looked doubtful as to Madison's ability to behave. "If you say so," Frank replied. "But I don't see this as a good idea."

Horatio nodded. "I don't plan on it happening again, Frank. Now, what have we got?"

Madison listened as Det. Tripp said people had seen someone running away from the place they were standing after hearing gunshots. Uncle Horatio asked him questions about who had heard the gunshots and who was hurt by them. Madison wrote down there were five police officers, plus Uncle Horatio and Det. Tripp, there was a red puddle on the ground, there were long black streaks on the cement with black stuff in a puddle between the streaks. She wrote down she saw footprints in the sand at the side of the road.

She hopped on one foot and then followed Uncle Horatio as he walked over to the footprints. When he crouched down to pick up a shiny metal tube, she copied him, writing down "shiny" "yellow" and drawing a little picture of the tube.

"What's that?" she asked as he examined the tube.

Horatio made a face and held it out for Madison to see better. "This is a shell casing," he said. "It came from the bullet in the bad guy's gun."

"Oh." Madison nodded. She drew another stick-figure picture of where they stood, putting a big "X" on the stop where they found the casing. "Where's the bullet?"

Horatio stood up, putting the casing in a plastic bag and taping it shut with red tap that had black writing on it. She wrote "Unkle Horasheoo put in bag. Red." in her notebook and followed him back to the Hummer. "Where's the bullet?"

"Whoever left this casing, shot another person," Horatio said. "And the bullet is still inside that person's body. The doctors are going to take it out of him."

"But he'll be okay, right?" Madison asked, following Horatio back to the Hummer.

Horatio smiled at her concern. "I hope so."

"Sister Fran says when someone is hurt we should say a prayer and ask God to make them better," Madison said. "Should I do that?"

Horatio blinked in surprise at her question. He leaned down to kiss the top of Madison's head. "Yes, sweetheart," he said. "I think that would be a good idea." He opened the back door of the Hummer. "You climb in and say your prayer. I need to say something to Det. Tripp and them we'll go back to CSI."

Madison climbed into the backseat and struggled with the seatbelt while Horatio walked over to Frank. He left the door open so she could see the two men talking for a moment before Horatio returned.

"Please, God," Madison whispered. "Make the person who got hurt better. And help Uncle Horatio to figure out why someone would want to hurt another person like that."

Madison turned the pages in her notebook and looked at the words and pictures she had drawn there. She added, "And I want to be a real CSI, too. Just like Uncle Horatio. Okay, God?"

_--LMM --_

They arrived back at the crime lab, Madison proudly showing her notebook to Paula before heading into the lab itself. Ryan met them just inside the lab doors, offering a bagged bullet to Horatio.

"Got it," he said, handing the bullet over and rocking on his heels. "I was just about to take it down to Calleigh."

Horatio examined the bullet with a slight frown. "Good work, Wolfe," he said.

Madison stood on tip-toe. "Can I see?"

The men exchanged glances, having momentarily forgotten her. Horatio lowered the bag for Madison to see the bullet.

"What do you notice?" he asked her.

Madison tilted her head, thinking. "It's small," she said, biting at her bottom lip. "And it has little lines on it."

"Good," Horatio said with approval. "Those little lines are going to help us find out who the bullet originally belonged to."

Madison's eyes got a little bigger. "Really? How?"

"Like fingerprints," Ryan supplied. Madison looked from Horatio to Ryan. "Just like everyone has different fingerprints, each gun makes different marks on the bullets."

Madison looked at her left hand, considering what Ryan had said. "And the little lines tell you who hurt that man?"

"When we match them up with a record we have on file, they do," Horatio said. He smiled, an idea forming. "How about, how about we set you up to match some of the lines on different bullets? Would you like to do that?"

Ryan folded his arms and faced his supervisor. "Horatio, you aren't going to let her use the comparison microscope, are you? I'm going to need that for this case."

"No, Ryan," Horatio said. "I was thinking the computer tutorial. If you're not using that terminal?"

Ryan pressed his lips together. It seemed the kid was going to be left in his lab again. Madison bounced hopefully.

"Can I take more notes?" she asked eagerly.

"Yeah, sure," Ryan said, releasing a deep sigh. "Just, don't touch anything you're not supposed to touch."

"Okay," Madison promised.

Horatio chuckled. "Good. Let's get you set up so Mr. Wolf can get to his work."

Following Horatio and Madison back to the trace lab, Ryan muttered under his breath, "How did I end up in kindergarten again?"

Horatio spent five minutes with Madison before going to see Calleigh, loading the ballistics identification tutorial and showing her how to work the program with the mouse. She promised once more not to touch anything other than her computer and to go straight to Horatio's office if she was done with the program. Ryan opened his kit and sorted the evidence he had collected at the hospital; the clothes worn by the victim when he was shot, fragments collected from outside the wound, possibly from some sort of silencer, and DNA swabs for Valera to process. He spread out the clothes and started to lift trace from the front of the shirt.

Madison knelt on the chair beside the workstation, intent on the task on the screen. One side of the screen showed a copper-colored bullet with striations – as Uncle Horatio had called the little lines – and the other side had small pictures of other bullets. Madison clicked and dragged on each picture to enlarge it, trying to match the lines in the two pictures. She careful jotted down the numbers of each sample picture and then crossed them off when the pictures didn't match. After the fifth one she clapped her hands, matching the two bullets together. She wrote that down, too, while the tutorial loaded another set of pictures for her to work on.

"Having fun, Miss Keaton?" Ryan asked over his shoulder.

"Uh-huh," Madison said, eyes still on the screen. "This is really cool."

He had to agree with her.

"Do you think you want to be a CSI when you grow up?" he asked, snipping out a portion of the shirt to run through the microspectophotometer.

Madison matched up another set of striations. The tutorial loaded another set, this time more difficult than the last set.

"Yes," she said happily. "I wanna know how things happen, too."


	11. Autoradiograhy

_Disclaimer: No tengo CSI: Miami o Horatio Caine, pero se amo el hombre mucho!_

_A/N: So you know, I think the characters took over at the end because this part was not in my original plan, at least not at this point. Also, my Spanish is not the greatest, so I welcome correction is I have them misspeaking. I also want to thank you for the reviews; I look forward to hearing your thoughts and responses (what you've liked, disliked, what makes you laugh, etc). It helps me to be a better writer and furthers the conversation we have. I am working on the funny, I promise, but it seems these couple of chapters are helping to further my plot._

Since his divorce 10 years ago, Horatio had not been so nervous to have a woman in his house as he was Saturday morning. Madison sat at the kitchen table, head down over one of his forensics magazines, trying to puzzle out the articles and pictures. Horatio walked through the house again, straightening books and taking drinking glasses back to the kitchen. The clothes dryer buzz and he loaded up the laundry basket with towels to fold later. He had spent the better part of the morning cleaning the house, including a once-over of Madison's bedroom when she finished.

Maxine Gray was scheduled to arrive at one o'clock. Katie promised to stop by around one-thirty for Mrs. Gray's inspection. Horatio paused as he set the basket of towels in the master bath closet; Katie. It had been almost six months since she has stopped to tell Horatio his "daughter" was a beautiful little girl in the pizzeria. Since then, Madison had started to stay with him during weekends and Katie had become a regular feature in his life. The devastation he had felt in May as the private plane left with his family – his nephew, his once-dead brother and the woman he loved and could never have – was replaced by the love of a little red-head girl, a new sister-in-law and this reporter woman whose company he thoroughly enjoyed. One family had flown away; a new family came to fill that void.

_Angst_, Horatio thought. _That's what Katie would call this line of thinking_. He closed the closet doors.

Madison poked her head up as Horatio returned to the kitchen. "What's this word?" she asked, pointing to a spot on the page.

"Autoradiograhy," Horatio read from over her shoulder. He skimmed the article title and summary. It was discussing DNA. He had no idea if she was capable of reading it or just looking at the pictures.

"What does that mean?" she asked, turning her head to look up at her uncle.

Horatio rubbed at his chin, amused by her interest. "It's a way to look at somebody's DNA and keep a record of it on x-ray film. It's another kind of fingerprint."

"Like bullet striations!" Madison said excitedly, making a connection. She climbed up on her chair. "Does everything have fingerprinty things?"

Taking his niece in his arms, Horatio grinned. "Yes," he said, "everything has fingerprinty things. That's one of the ways we can figure out who has done what at a crime scene."

Madison just grinned and hugged Horatio around his neck. "Autorad – radio –atradios –"

"Autoradiography," he repeated. He squeezed her tightly and set Madison back down. "How about, you go get your CSI notebook and copy that word into it? Then you can write down what it means."

"Okay," Madison said and skipped back to her bedroom.

Horatio picked up the copy of _Forensics Today_ and shook his head. His niece could barely read her picture books and here she was, thumbing through one of his trade magazines. He would mention it to Suzie. While Madison was in her room, he scanned the rest of the magazine to make sure there weren't pictures inside that would give a five-year-old nightmares.

Madison returned and he put the magazine back down, open to the page she was looking at. She climbed back on her chair and opened the small notebook, flipping past the pages she had filled the evening before. She squinted at the long word and began to carefully copy it on the page.

The doorbell rang. Madison looked up. Horatio suddenly doubted the wisdom of letting her have the magazine. He went to answer the door.

"Mrs. Gray," Horatio greeted the social worker. "Please, come in."

Maxine stepped inside Horatio's home, extending her hand and smiling warmly. "Thank you, lieutenant," she said. Maxine followed him from the foyer to the living room area, where she set her bag on the coffee table.

"May I get you something to drink?" he asked.

"A glass of water is fine," she said. "Then perhaps you could show me around?"

"Of course," Horatio said. He headed back to the kitchen.

Madison heard them and left her spot at the table, smiling at her uncle, and went to see Maxine.

"Well, hello there, little Miss Madison," Maxine said. "I see you're at your Uncle Horatio's house today."

"Uh-huh," Madison said. "How come you're here, too?"

Maxine leaned forward from her spot on the couch. "Well, I wanted to see your uncle's house and see how well you like it here."

Madison studied Maxine with serious eye. "Oh." She held out her notebook. "I learned a new word today."

Maxine put on her glasses to read the notebook. Horatio returned with a glass of water and momentarily closed his eyes in pain.

"Autoradiography," Maxine read and then smiled at Madison. "That's an awfully big word for a little girl."

"Its fingerprints for DNA," Madison told her proudly. "Everything has fingerprints. Uncle Horatio said so."

Horatio offered the water to Maxine, who gave at him a quirky smile.

"Your uncle is very knowledgeable about science," Maxine said to Madison.

Madison bobbed her head. "I'm gonna be a CSI when I grow up," she informed the social worker. "Just like Uncle Horatio."

Maxine smiled and nodded, handing back the notebook. "I'm sure that's very nice," she told Madison. She sipped her water. "I came to talk with your uncle, but maybe you could show me where you sleep when you're here?"

"Okay," Madison said. She tucked the notebook under the back waistband of her shorts; Horatio watched her with amusement, noting he had seen Katie do the same thing once or twice. Madison must have learned it from her.

Maxine stood up, setting her glass next to her bag, to follow Madison. Horatio trailed after them, telling himself the house was as good as it was going to be.

It wasn't far from the living room down the short hall to Madison's bedroom. She opened the door for the adults and flicked on the light, even though reflected sunlight lit up the room already. Maxine looked around the room, the newly painted walls and bright comforter on the bed, the stuffed animals and books on wooden shelves and the matching dresser and student desk.

"Oh my," Maxine laughed, "it's very pink in here, Madison."

"That's because I like pink," Madison told her. "I picked it out. And I picked out the furniture, too. Mommy and Uncle Horatio helped me paint the walls, though."

Horatio chuckled and looked down at the floor. That had been a Saturday afternoon before school began which ended with a little girl wearing a great deal of pink paint.

"Well, I think you did a very nice job," Maxine told her. "I especially like the poster. Is that a lizard?"

Madison looked at the older woman, wondering if she trying to be silly. "No," she drawled. "It's a gecko. I have a gecko. His name is Tim." She bounced over to her bed and pulled a large stuffed animal from the pile. "And this is Eric. Miss Calleigh left him on Uncle Horatio's office door. You can pet him."

Maxine looked from Madison to Horatio as she reached forward to stroke the toy's head. His lips quivered in amusement. "She and Eric, they, uhm," Horatio hesitated, "were having some fun at my expense."

Madison continued to lead the tour through Horatio's house, showing Mrs. Maxine her bathroom and then Uncle Horatio's office and the kitchen and the lanai. Maxine followed, taking in the house and listening intently to Madison's descriptions. Horatio trailed behind.

"Madison, it seems like a very nice home to spend your weekends," Maxine said as they returned to the livingroom. Madison climbed coffee table to sit across from her. "Maybe you can tell me what you like about being here?"

Madison bobbed her head and grinned. "I like Uncle Horatio. He's fun."

The doorbell rang again.

"Uhm, that, that would be Katie," Horatio said.

Maxine grinned. "Oh good. Why don't you spend a minute with her and Madison and I can talk alone for a little bit? Then I can meet your friend."

Horatio wasn't sure he appreciated Maxine's tone but assumed it was for Madison's benefit. He went to answer the door, stepping outside as he opened it. Kate grinned openly and went into his arms.

"Mh," she hummed, taking in his scent. "So, how is my Horatio?"

He hugged her tightly, noting her own scent, lime and coconut. She was wore a pink and tan shorts set, her sunglasses perched in her dark brown hair. "Always happy to see you," he told her, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Katie sighed deeply and let him hold her for a minute before she drew back and looked up to Horatio's blue eyes. "How's it going with the social worker?"

Horatio slipped his arm Katie's waist. "That, is what we're about to find out," he answered. "And Madison has decided she's going to be a CSI."

Katie raised her eyebrows. "And she's told this woman all about it."

"I'm afraid so," Horatio said.

Katie squeezed the hand that rest on her hip. "I'm sure it will be okay."

Horatio tilted his head to take her in and squeezed her hand in return. He opened the door for them to enter the house.

Madison was doing her dinosaur impression again. Maxine was watching with evident amusement. Madison dropped her arms when she saw them enter and ran over with an excited, "Miss Katie!"

Katie opened her arms for Madison, who hopped up. They spun around once and Katie set her back down. "Hey, Maddie. Are you having fun?"

Madison nodded and pointed to Maxine. "That's Mrs. Maxine. Her job is to make sure I'm okay. Then she's going to tell the judge I should stay with Mommy and Uncle Horatio and not go with that mean lady."

Katie glanced at Horatio and then at Maxine. "You seem to have a pretty clear grasp on things, Madison," she said.

Horatio cleared his throat. "Mrs. Gray, may I present Katie DeMark, my uhm, my girlfriend."

Katie extended her hand politely, hiding the little thrill that went through her. It was the first time Horatio had publicly called her his "girlfriend." She nodded to Maxine. "Pleased to meet you."

Maxine shook her hand warmly. "The pleasure is mine," she said. "I was hoping I could ask you a few questions, since you seem to be part of Horatio and Madison's lives."

Katie took a seat in one of Horatio's arm chairs. Madison immediately climbed into her lap. Horatio took the other chair and suppressed another chuckle. Madison was very comfortable with Katie.

While Horatio had greeted Katie outside, Maxine had taken out her file folder. She held it open, ready to take notes. Katie noticed.

"Go ahead," she said from around Madison. "I'm not used to being on this side of the notebook, though."

Maxine raised one eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I'm a reporter for _The Herald_," Katie explained. "I write for the Neighborhoods section and a few stories for _El Nuevo_."

Maxine jotted down the information. "That is certainly interesting," she said. "What's _El Nuevo_?"

"El periódico español del_ Herald_," Katie responded. "Soy una periódista de los dos periódicos."

Maxine frowned. Horatio chuckled, realizing the problem.

"I don't believe Mrs. Gray speaks Spanish," he told her.

"I do!" Madison said proudly. "Me llamo Madion Keaton. Tengo cinco años." She held up all five fingers on her right hand.

Katie tickled Madison. "Sí, niña. Tiénes." She looked over to Maxine. "I'm sorry, I get used to speaking it for part of the day and then forget to switch back. _El Nuevo Herald_ is the Spanish-language side-by-side for _The Herald_. I said, I'm a reporter for both newspapers."

Horatio watched as Maxine continued her interview. Katie answered her questions quite smoothly, talking about her sister's family in Melbourne and how much time she spends with Horatio and Madison. She pared a few questions about her job.

Finally, Maxine said, "I realize this might be an awkward question, but I need to ask what your intentions are concerning Lt. Caine."

"What's that mean?" Madison asked, turning around on Katie's lap.

Katie stared at the woman. She kissed Madison's forehead. "Maddie, why don't you go find your crayons? Okay?"

"I wanna know what that means," Madison said insistently. Horatio shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Katie lifted Madison down. She pouted for a moment and headed toward her room.

Katie licked her lips in worry. She had not expected that question after six months of dating. "Horatio," she said. "Que queínes respuesta la pregunta? Lo siento, no sé hablar."

Maxine frowned.

Horatio stood up and walked to her chair. He tilted his head and took her hand. "Bueno," he said, "te amo. Y, hablamos esa cosa es muy importanté por a nosotros."

Katie's eyes opened wide. "Me amo? Horatio, te amo, tambíen!"

"I'm sorry," Maxine cut in. "But I still don't understand Spanish."

Madison came back with her coloring book and crayons. "He said he loves her and she said she loves him," she explained matter-of-factly. "How can you not know that?"

Katie started to giggle. "Mrs. Gray, my intention is to be here for the long haul." She looked back at Horatio, who seemed equally surprised by his words. "Sí, novio?"

"Sí, novia," Horatio replied.

Spreading out on the floor, Madison tiredly added, "I knew that, too."


	12. A Name on Paper

_Disclaimer: Evidently I don't _CSI: Miami_, its characters or situations. If I did, I'd be working on this full-time instead of working (playing) with college students._

_A/N: --waving hand -- Hi! This is me, still here. I've been picking at the following for far too long, but I seem to be back at it; there will be more! Thank you for your patience and support. This is coming out in drips-n-drabs but there is a plot and we're fitting it together._

Horatio joined Suzie and Kenwall mid-conversation. They were seated in the dinningroom of the Agrimont, a tall glass of water in front of Suzie while Kenwall nursed a cup of coffee. At Horatio's approach, Kenwall laid his hand lightly over Suzie's for a moment, cutting off her next words. Horatio frowned and took the chair between them.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he apologized. "We had an early morning call out."

"No problem, Horatio," Suzie told him. She gave him the hesitant smile he found endearing. If he had ever had a younger sister, he supposed, Suzie would be her because that smile brought out his protective instincts. "I – we were just talking."

Kenwall brought out a folder and a pocket calendar. "We have the first court date, Horatio. We'll present our arguments and the judge wants to talk with Madison."

"The first court date?" Horatio repeated, pouring his own coffee from the urn on the table. Oddly, he had the sense that had not been what Kenwall and Suzie were discussing when he entered.

Kenwall nodded. "That's right," he said. "There'll be a second, and hopefully final, court date after that for the judge to deliver a decision. We're closer to having this wrapped up."

Horatio raised his eyebrows. "How close?"

"Uhm." Kenwall looked down at his folders without an answer.

"Mother wants to meet us for dinner," Suzie said, looking to Horatio. "I don't know what to tell her."

"You tell her no," Horatio said without emotion. The memory of their last meeting left a bitter taste in his mouth that he had no desire to revisit.

Suzie twirled a strand of hair absently and hunched her shoulders. "I should," she agreed. "But, Horatio, she's my mother. I'd like some relationship with her. That's why I wrote to her in the first place."

Horatio stirred his coffee while he thought that over. His eyes flitted to Kenwall. Finally, he said, "I don't know, then. Kenwall, what do you think?"

Kenwall played with the pen he held, puffing out his cheeks as he thought. He looked sideways to Horatio and then ahead to Suzie. "After Calleigh left home, I didn't see my little girl for seven years," he said. "Now, a lot of that was my own fault and it took her mama kicking me out before I realized what I was losing." He pressed his lips together and thought it over. "I think, if, Suzie, you want to meet with your mama, for lunch, in a public place, that might be a good thing. And maybe a friend could go with you. But, I don't think Madison should go along."

Suzie nodded and turned to Horatio. He stared at his hands, his lips pressed tightly together in thought. She watched him, needing his opinion, with mixed emotions. He glanced sideways toward her and his shoulders slumped as he sighed.

"With a friend," he concurred at last even though he didn't like it. "You're too important to let her verbally abuse you further. She may behave in front of someone else."

Suzie brightened slightly. She reached across the table to lightly squeeze Horatio's hand. He looked at their hands together and smiled faintly, squeezing back. Horatio watched as Suzie nodded and met his eyes; the impulse to protect this woman-child returned. Instead, he reminded himself that Suzie was stronger than she looked. She had already proven that to him, if not to herself yet.

"Okay," Suzie agreed. She looked relieved to have their approval but apprehensive at the same time.

Kenwall found the paper he was searching for in the folder, bringing out the order for the court date. He also passed Horatio a document for standby guardianship. While Kenwall explained the court process to Suzie, Horatio read through the document. It was full prepared, requiring his and Suzie's signatures.

"…_Horatio Caine, being the natural uncle of Madison Rose Keaton, is named by me as guardian…"_

His eyes paused on the phrase. The standby guardianship was a back-up plan and most likely would never come into effect. He knew, somewhere in the bottom of his heart, that signing his name beneath that phrase would forever change the nature of their relationship. He was legally prepared to become Madison's parent should the courts take her from Suzie – or should Suzie be suddenly gone.

Horatio pretended to reread the document before taking a pen from the inside of his jacket – the one beside the small notebook all police officers carry – and signed his full name. Horatio David Caine.

He passed the paper back to Kenwall, who nodded and slipped it to Suzie. She took Horatio's pen and without hesitation wrote her own name. Suzanne Skye Barnam.

Kenwall took the paper back from her, added his own name as witness and filed the document away to be presented to the judge next week.

Suzie smiled at Horatio and held his gaze. "Thank you," she said.


	13. Santa Claus & Uncle Horatio

_Disclaimer: I admit only to briefly dating a guy named Jeffe when I was college. Also, my new year aspirations include going to a Jimmy Buffett concert. As of this moment, however, I do not have tickets to a concert, any desire to date Jeffe again or ownership of _CSI: Miami

_A/N: The season is more than half over and we haven't seen a single episode featuring my little girl! I need to see that she is fine and healthy and tweaking Horatio's brain. Thank you for the lovely reviews; it good to know I'm not the only one interested in seeing the tweaking of Horatio's brain by a little girl. Also, a definition: a "striker" for a motorcycle gang is a pledge; I am making the leap that "striker" could also apply for an international group of bad guys._

Horatio took his turn to pick Madison up from school on Wednesday, waiting beside the Hummer with the other parents. The early December day was grey but held no offer of rain. Instead the temperature had dropped to a chilly 65, unusually cool for Miami.

The knot of children burst through the doors and he scanned the crowd for his niece.

_How does a name on a piece of paper change so much?_ he wondered as he found Madison. She saw him and waved before turning back to her friends. The girls walked together and he was again glad she had friends. They were joining the Woods' for dinner; Madison and Janie, despite the difference in their ages, had become good friends.

The group of girls made their way directly to Horatio, Madison with a look of concern on her face.

"Hello, ladies," Horatio greeted them, taking off his sunglasses. There were three girls with Madison.

"This is Peggy and Kim and Lynne," Madison introduced. "We have a question for you."

Horatio smiled slightly, trying to keep a professional expression. From the looks on the girls' faces, this was a serious question for them.

"Go ahead," he instructed.

"Is there really a Santa Claus?" Kim asked. "Because Jeffe and José said he isn't real. But I told them he is real."

"Uhm," Horatio stalled. The girls looked at him expectantly. Madison twirled her hair in imitation of her mother. With twenty days to go before Christmas, he knew he couldn't disappoint them. On the other hand, he didn't want to lie to his niece about something so important.

"Of course there is a Santa Claus," he told them. To his relief they broke out in smiles, one of the girls – Lynne? – jumping up and down. "He has many shapes and ways of doing things, and he moves like a spirit sometimes. But Santa Claus is as real as you believe him to be."

_There, not a lie_, he thought. Horatio hoped the other parents would agree with him.

"See?" Madison said to the other girls. "I told you Uncle Horatio knows everything."

Horatio chuckled.

Peggy frowned, thinking his answer over. "Did you ever _see_ Santa Claus?" she asked.

Horatio stopped chuckling. Peggy folded her arms expectantly.

"Did I, ever see Santa Claus?" Horatio repeated.

"Right," Peggy said.

Horatio thought quickly. He dropped to one knee to be at Peggy's eyelevel. "Well," he said slowly. "Yes. Yes, I've seen Santa Claus." He paused, seeing his answer wasn't quite enough. "I saw Santa Claus once when I was a boy."

Madison inched closer, eager to hearing about Uncle Horatio as a boy. He noticed and winked at her.

"I did," he continued. "It was when Madison's father was 12 and just after our mother died. I was taking care of Raymond and finishing high school. Since Mom was gone we didn't feel much like celebrating Christmas."

The girls watched Horatio, their surprise at not wanting to celebrate Christmas evident. Horatio paused, glancing again at Madison. Raymond's name caused no reaction from her; she still thought of Bob Keaton as her "daddy."

"Well, I didn't have any presents for my brother," he continued, "and there weren't any for me. We decided we were too old to have a Christmas tree" – here, Kim looked scandalized – "so we weren't going to make a big deal out of Christmas."

"But you saw Santa Claus?" Peggy prompted, unmoved by the idea of the two boys without Christmas presents or a tree.

"I saw Santa Claus," Horatio told her. "Because, just before we went to bed there was a pounding at our door."

"And it was Santa Claus," Peggy supplied.

"I opened the door," Horatio said, not to be rushed. "And standing outside the door was the police detective who responded when Mom died. And standing behind him, was Santa Claus. And even Mrs. Claus."

The girls' eyes grew wide and Lynne was hopping up and down. "Then what happened?" she asked breathlessly.

"They came in our house," Horatio said with a grin. "Santa Claus said Det. Tarbell had told him Raymond and I weren't going to have Christmas. Well, Santa Claus thought otherwise. And furthermore, furthermore, we were going to Det. Tarbell's house for Christmas dinner."

"Wow." Kim's eyes were shiny in awe. Madison looked proud.

Horatio nodded towards one of the girls' grandfathers. "Okay, ladies," he said, standing back up. "I think your parents are waiting for you."

The three girls darted off. Horatio opened the Hummer door for Madison. She climbed in and accepted his help with the seat belt. Once situated, Horatio went to the driver's seat. He noted Madison was quiet and checked on her in his review mirror. She wore a pensive expression, contemplating something.

They headed down Route 836 back to CSI. Madison watched out the window while Horatio mentally reviewed the remainder of his day.

"Are we going to Dr. Alexx's for dinner?" Madison asked, still looking out the window.

"Yep," Horatio confirmed.

"Is Miss Katie coming, too?" she asked.

Horatio glanced at his watch. It was three-thirty; he assumed Katie was in her cubicle at the Herald. "No, not tonight," he told her. "But Miss Katie said she'd come over Friday so we can go Christmas shopping."

"Okay." Madison was quieted for a moment then asked, "Is Miss Calleigh and Mr. Eric coming to dinner?"

Horatio smiled to himself. It sounded as if Madison was trying to plan a party. "No, I don't believe so," he said. "It's just going to be you and me, Dr. Alexx and Dr. Dennis and Janie and Bryan."

"And Mommy?" Madison asked.

"Uhm," Horatio turned off the highway at the Doral exit and toward CSI. "Mommy is studying tonight with a friend. She has a test tomorrow morning and then she'll be done with school for a month."

"Maybe – maybe you and me and Mommy and Miss Katie can go to dinner somewhere since Mommy's done with school," Madison suggested. "That would be fun."

"It would be fun," Horatio agreed. "We'll see about that."

They arrived at CSI, Horatio parking the Hummer out front. Madison held his hand as they walked into the building, skipping up the wide steps. Horatio ignored Stetler as he walked out the front doors. The sergeant, for his part, glanced at the skipping little red-head and flashed a knowing grin at Horatio. Horatio held to Madison's hand and did not make the universally rude finger gesture he was tempted to offer.

At the reception desk, Eric barreled through the atrium hallway, his kit in hand.

"H!" he called. "We've got a call out. Alexx is on her way but this looks bad." He stopped short, seeing the little girl. "Madison."

"Hi, Mr. Eric," she said and waved.

"Right, hi," Eric said to her. "H – "

Horatio dropped to one knee to see his niece. "Madison, I want you to go with Paula," he said. "I have to go to work for a little while."

"Are we still going to Dr. Alexx's for dinner?" she asked, twirling her hair.

Eric's eyes grew big and he opened his hands to indicate they needed to hurry.

"How about – how about I call Miss Katie?" he asked. "When she's done with work, she'll pick you up and take you to Dr. Alexx's house so you can see Janie. How's that?"

Paula walked around the desk and offered her hand to Madison. Madison looked doubtful, but then she kissed Horatio's cheek.

"Okay, Uncle Horatio," she said. "I love you."

Horatio brushed her check. "I love you, too," he said. "And I will meet you at Dr. Alexx's later."

He stood back up, noting Eric's continued impatience. "Do not release her to anyone other than Katie DeMark from The Miami Herald," Horatio instructed. "She should be here in about an hour."

"Of course, lieutenant," Paula said. "We'll be fine."

Horatio last glance as the elevator doors closed was of Madison waving to him. Paula was smiling and bent down to say something to the little girl.

Eric let out a breath. "I'm sorry to take you away from your niece," he said, "but Mal Noche has left us another body. Teenage girl; her boyfriend is a Mal Noche striker."

Horatio frowned as the doors opened again on the first floor. "Ideas?" he asked as they headed back to CSI1.

"Don't know yet," Eric said. "It's not their thing, unless the striker crossed the wrong member."

"Be careful what you wish for," Horatio quoted, slipping his sunglasses back on. "I want to know who fired the bullet."

On the second floor, Madison followed Paula to the breakroom.

"Do you want a soda?" Paula asked as Madison spread the contents of her bookbag on the table.

"Root beer?" Madison asked hopefully. Paula used her master key to persuade the soda machine to drop a Barq's for Madison.

"Here you go," Paula said. "I have to go back out to the desk, but I'll come check on you in 15 minutes. So, don't go anywhere, okay, sweetheart?"

Madison dangled her legs under the table. "Okay, Miss Paula," Madison agreed.

Biting her lip at the wisdom of leaving Madison alone, Paula left the breakroom. Madison watched her leave and opened her coloring book. She picked out a blue crayon while a plan formed in her head. Madison wanted to be a real CSI and she was at Uncle Horatio's lab on her own, just like a grown-up.


	14. That heartstopping moment

_Disclaimer: If I owned _CSI: Miami_ you would see my stories in beautiful color starring David Caruso and Kyndell Rose on Monday nights rather than reading them here._

_A/N: I wasn't going to do this to you, posting another mini-chapter. But life did the interesting thing on me and my writing time wasn't as much as I had planned. But the more I looked at this, it really wouldn't be fair to Paula to group this with the next section. As always, thank you so very much for the reviews. Letting me know what you liked and what parts didn't work so well make me a better writer and get you better stories. And the more I think about it, I need to have some more Eric and Calleigh in this at some point. And Alexx is waiting for her big scene, which is coming. And Madison just grins, because she's five and she's plotting._

Desk Sergeant Paula Martin was an experienced police officer. After spending five years in a patrol car and responding to crime scenes before the investigators arrived, she took her responsibility as the guardian of CSI very seriously. Evidence, when not under examination, was under her watchful eye. Visitors to the lab had to pass her inspection before passing through the doors. Everyone – staff, scientists, criminalists – had to sign in and out with her.

Checking on one small child, she believed, would be her easiest duty that week. Madison was happily coloring when she popped in after 15 minutes. After another 15 minutes, she returned again, this time with coloring pages from the department's child safety program she thought Madison would enjoy. She blinked twice upon finding the room empty of any small child.

Drawing a shaky breath, Paula calmly walked to the women's room, assuming Madison must have gone there to wash up. Entering, she noted every stall door was open.

"Oh," she said aloud, "this is bad."

Paula headed back to the reception desk. As she did, Officer Jessup came out of the elevator doors.

"Jessup!" she called. "You didn't see a little girl with red hair leave, did you?"

Jessup frowned and approached Paula. "No. Is one missing?"

Paula made a face. "Yes. I was watching her in the breakroom and now she's gone."

Jessup suppressed a grin and shook his head. "Who did you lose, Paula?"

"I didn't lose anyone," Paula corrected. "And it's Madison, Lt. Caine's niece."

Jessup's mouth opened in shock. "You lost the lieutenant's niece?"

"Just –" she held her hands up to prevent further argument "— just, will you watch the reception desk while I go look for her? Lt. Caine's friend, Katie DeMark, is supposed to be here soon to pick Madison up. If she gets here before I get back, just send her into the lab, okay?"

Jessup walked around the desk, nodding. "Will do. Go find her."

Paula nodded her thanks and darted through the doors into the CSI lab.


	15. Loose in the Lab

_Disclaimer: If I owned _CSI: Miami_, do you think I would be late for work right now?_

_A/N: There we go! A full-sized chapter again. I really do love this little girl. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. Let me know what you think of this one._

Madison grinned as she peered around the corner. There was no one in the hallways, although she could hear people in the various labs. She scanned down the main hall and toward the trace lab and layout room. She figured she had a long time – maybe 45 minutes – before Miss Katie came to get her. Madison could do a lot of exploring in 45 minutes.

The five-year-old headed down the hallway. Maybe Mr. Ryan was there and he could show her how to use the machines that show the fingerprinty things. She turned into the first room on the right.

"Wow," Madison breathed. It was cartoon paradise. The room was filled with big TV sets and a computer console. The main screen had a picture of Uncle Horatio's badge bouncing around. The console had bright lights and a keyboard, along with three chairs in front of it. Madison climbed on the chair in the center. It spun in a circle and she giggled.

"Okay," she said to herself after spinning. "Now how does this work?" She knelt up on the chair and leaned her elbows on the console. It had a mouse so she pushed it. The bouncing badge vanished and a cartoon picture of a car appeared. It was a strange cartoon; it was made of bright colored lines outlining the car and there was an outline of a person in front of the car. Madison frowned, wondering if it was some kind of video game.

She clicked the mouse to see what would happen. The car started to move and the drawing of the person held up its arm. Madison gasped as the car drove into the person; the cartoon person picked up and flipped over the car. The program stopped with the person still in the air.

Madison decided it had to be a video game. Mommy didn't let her play video games but when she was at Janie's house, her brother, Bryan, would sometimes let her try his PlayStation2 games. Madison clicked the mouse, moving the pointer over to the person. The drawings reset as she did so. Madison dragged the drawing of the person back, thinking maybe the object of the game was to keep the person from getting hit.

It was a hard game. The poor person kept getting hit by the car. Madison studied the console, wondering how to change the settings again.

"Joseph, I'm telling you, you owe me coffee," Tyler said from outside the door.

"No way, man," Joseph replied. "I believe _you_ owe _me_ coffee."

Their voices were just outside the door. Madison jumped off the chair and ducked under the console. She scootched as far over as she could before coming up against the wall.

"We'll see about that," Tyler said, standing right outside the door. "What time are you off tonight?"

Madison held her breath. She could see both men's legs from her position under the table.

"Six, I think," Joseph said. "You looking for a rematch?"

"You bet I am," Tyler said. Joseph laughed and Madison heard them exchange a "high-five" before Tyler walked in the lab.

Madison saw Tyler's legs walk to the three chairs. He muttered "what the hell?" and she saw him lean down and heard the mouse click. She took the opportunity with his back turned to scurry back out the door and into the hallway.

Feeling empowered by her brush with danger, Madison slid against the wall and further into the lab. She hunched down and ran past another adult who was looking through a microscope and followed the familiar path toward Uncle Horatio's office.

With disappointment she entered Mr. Ryan's empty lab. She had hoped he'd be there; he was fun to talk with and he could show her how to use things. Madison dragged Ryan's chair over to the comparison microscope and peered through the eyepieces. There wasn't anything on the platform to see but she played with the focus anyway. She sat back down and found a note pad and pen on the work table. With a grin, she wrote "Hi Mr Riann!" and drew a big smiley face next to it, complete with curly hair and arms and legs.

Madison hopped down and walked to the cabinets, opening doors to find supplies. There was even a box of plastic gloves like she saw Uncle Horatio wear the time he had taken her to a crime scene. She took one out and tried to pull it over her little hand. There was more glove than hand and she stuffed it into her uniform pocket. She dug some more into the pile of supplies.

"Oops," she said as a box of big cotton swabs spilled on the floor. She picked the swabs up and put them back in the box and stuffed the box back in the cabinet.

Done exploring the cabinet, she poked at the computer, wondering how Uncle Horatio had started the tutorial program. She clicked a few of the desktop icons but couldn't find what she thought she was looking for. Bored, she hopped back down.

From there, Madison crept down another hallway. Through the glass wall she saw a pretty woman leaning over another microscope. Curious, she came closer until she was standing outside the door.

The woman stood up and saw Madison. Her forehead wrinkled and she stepped away from the microscope. Realizing she was caught, Madison took a step inside the room.

"Hello," the pretty woman said. "What's your name?"

"Madison Keaton," Madison said. "What's your name?"

"Maxine Valera," the woman said. "But everyone calls me Valera."

Madison tipped her head, thinking about that. "Just Valera?"

"Yep, just Valera," she said. "Now, how come you're here? Does your grown-up know where you are?"

Madison held one hand behind her back and crossed her fingers. "Yes," she said. "He said I could wait here."

"Mh-mh," Valera replied, not quite believing the small child in her lab.

"What are you working on?" Madison said, coming closer to Valera's work table.

Valera looked the little girl over, noting the bright red hair and made a logical guess. "Well, my job is to look at DNA from people."

"Really?" Madison said, suddenly excited. "Like fingerprints?"

Valera shook her head. "Fingerprints are in another lab. This is like fingerprints in your cells that say how you're made."

Madison came all the way into the lab and Valera's side, standing on tip-toe to see the microscope. "How we're made? You can see that?"

"I can see cells and then the computer takes the cells and sees the genetic code," Valera explained.

"Can I see?" Madison asked.

Valera checked her watched. Whoever was responsible for this child – most likely the lieutenant – was probably looking for Madison. If Valera kept Madison in one place it would be easier for them to find her.

"I can do that," she said. "Hop up here."

Madison climbed on Valera's stool while she went to the cabinet. She took out a swab and a clean slide. Turning back to Madison, she said, "Okay, open your mouth."

Madison giggled and opened up; Valera took a quick swab of the inside of her cheek. While Madison watched, fascinated, Valera wiped the swab on the slide. She slid the chair with Madison in it down to the neighboring microscope. Taking a small bottle from a collection on the table, she opened the dropper and dropped a small amount of stain on the slide.

Madison leaned on the work table as Valera put the slide on the platform and made adjustments while look through the eyepiece. With a wry smile, Valera finished and slid the chair up to the microscope.

"Okay, little girl," Valera said. "Take a look through there and tell me what you see."

Madison squinted and peered into the microscope. On the slide below were tiny, irregular ovals, some pale pink and some very light blue. Each had a dark center and some were clumped together.

"Those are cells from your cheek," Valera explained. "The dark spots are the center of the cell, call the nucleus. That's where we find the DNA."

Still examining the cells, Madison asked, "That's what tells you what I'm made from?"

"Yep," Valera nodded. "It has the program, just like a computer, to say you have red hair and blue eyes and freckles."

"But where's the DNA?" Madison asked. "Why can't I see that, too?"

"Because it's so small," Valera said. "What I need to do is put those cells in one of these little tubes and add a special solution to break it apart from the rest of the center. Then this machine –" Valera tapped the Cofiler machine "— reads DNA and makes a print out."

"Autoradiography!" Madison chirped, holding her head up and grinning proudly.

Valera stared at her in surprise. "How do you know that word?"

"It was in one of Uncle Horatio's magazines," Madison told her. "I want to be a CSI like Uncle Horatio when I grow up."

"I didn't know that word until I was a junior in college," Valera said. "Do you know what it means?"

"It's a picture on x-ray paper of what someone's DNA looks like," Madison said. "It's like a fingerprint."

"That's right," Valera said. "I think I'm impressed."

Madison looked over toward the stake of papers and vials on the work table. "Can I stay with you for a while?" she asked. "I want to learn how you do this."

Valera shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "Are you sure someone isn't looking for you?"

"Uh-huh," Madison said, crossing her fingers again. "Besides, Mr. Ryan lets me stay and help him."

Valera chuckled. "I'm not sure about the helping part," she said. "Sit there and don't touch anything unless you ask first."

Madison stuck her hands in her uniform pockets and grinned.

_-- LMM --_

The elevator doors opened before the reception desk. Officer Jessup looked up from the notebook he was studying and saw a brunette woman step off and smile at him. She crossed the space and opened her purse, drawing out credentials from The Miami Herald to present to him.

"Hello," she said cheerfully. "I'm looking for the desk sergeant, Paula Martin. She's watching my friend's niece."

Jessup read the credentials and passed her a visitor's pass. "Ms. DeMark," he said with a nod. "Something – ah – something sort of came up. Paula said to send you into the lab."

Katie raised her eyebrows. "Something came up? Is Madison alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine," he said. "I think. Paula will explain."

"Right." Katie clipped the pass to her blouse.

Jessup motioned toward the lab. "Just through those doors, ma'am."

With a nod in reply, Katie headed through the atrium and into the crime lab.

_-- LMM --_

Paula stuck her head into the AV lab. Tyler was scowling with full lights on.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," she said.

Tyler rubbed at his forehead. "No interruption. I'm just trying to figure out what the hell someone did to my simulation for the Wintz hit- and-run. And if Joseph is responsible."

Paula shifted her weight from one foot to the other ever so inperceivably. "You haven't seen a little red-head girl around have you?"

Tyler leaned down, resting his hands on the console. "No," he told. "Should I have?"

"I guess not," Paula said and made a retreat from the AV lab before he could ask why she was looking for a random small child.

Paula stood in the hall, trying to think like a five-year-old. Madison obviously had been to the AV lab. Her options then were to go back the way she came or go forward to the trace lab. Paula figured Madison wouldn't have gone back. She headed to the trace lab.

_-- LMM --_

Tyler snapped his head up in irritation. He had just gotten the parameters reset and now some woman was knocking at his doorframe.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I'm looking for Paula," Katie said. "I'm a little turned around in here."

Tyler walked to the door. The woman was pretty cute but wearing a visitor's pass and walking around alone. "Yeah, about five minutes ago. I'm not sure where she went. Would you like me to call someone for you?"

Katie shook her head. "That's okay. I'll find her, if you can point me where she may have gone."

Tyler sighed and stuck his finger out down the hall. "That would be the trace lab. She might be down there."

"Thank you," Katie said and turned toward the trace lab.

_-- LMM --_

Paula gave the trace lab a quick look over. Ryan Wolf, wearing a white sport coat and an ugly green shirt, entered from the opposite direction, carrying his kit.

"Hey, Paula," he greeted. "H said you were watching his kid."

Paul made a face and choose honesty. "I was," she admitted. "But Madison seems to have gotten away from me."

Ryan dropped his kit was a surprised 'thunk' on the countertop. "You are kidding?"

"I wish," she said.

"I'll help you look," he said. Then he gave her a sly grin. "But I think I know where she's been."

Paula groaned. "The AV lab."

Ryan held up a note in a child's scrawl. "Here. Seems we have an artist on the loose."

_--LMM --_

Katie walked into the empty trace lab, glancing up toward Horatio's office. She had been there twice before and felt awkward wandering around the CSI lab unescorted. Still no sign of Paula or Madison. Traffic would start getting back in an hour and she really wanted to pick Madison up and head to the Doctors Woods' home before then.

She noted the open CSI kit on the work table and figured she must have just missed Ryan Wolf. If she had, he had to be in the lab somewhere. Katie took her cellphone out and found the business card he had given her a few months ago.

"CSI Wolf," Ryan answered after the second ring.

"Hey, Ryan," Katie said. "This is Katie DeMark, Horatio's friend. I know this is going to sound weird, but I'm standing in your trace lab and I'm looking for Paula and Madison Keaton."

"Hang on," Ryan said into the cell. Katie heard him turn and say to someone else. "We've got another straggler. Katie DeMark is in the trace lab."

A woman's voice replied to Ryan before he said to Katie, "Do you see the hallway to the left?"

"Yes," Katie said, turning to her left.

"Great," he said. "Just walk down the hall. You'll see us."

"Right," Katie agreed. "Be right there." She closed the flip phone and shook her head with a chuckle. Some days are just strange.

_-- LMM --_

"What have we here?" Ryan asked in a low voice. Through the glass walls of Valera's lab, he, Paula and Katie could see Madison carefully dropping stain on a slide as Valera adjusted the microscope. Madison passed the slide to Valera, who thanked her, and placed it on the platform, moving so Madison could hop on her chair and look inside.

"The world's smallest CSI," Katie replied.

"The end of my career," Paula answered.

Ryan glanced toward the desk sergeant. "I don't think it's that bad," he reassured Paula. She gave him a wry smile.

They watched for another moment as Valera continued to explain something to Madison. The little girl nodded enthusiastically. She pointed to the Cofiler behind them and asked Valera a question.

"This is cute," Katie said at last. "But I need to get her to the Woods' before Horatio gets there."

Ryan tapped on the glass. Valera and Madison looked up from their work; Valera smiled and waved them in. Madison sunk just a little bit, knowing she had finally been caught. The threesome entered the lab.

"Valera, I really am sorry," Paula said first. "I should have kept a better eye on her."

"It's alright," Valera told her. "I was just teaching Madison about how we find DNA."

"Hi, Miss Katie," Madison said, hoping the cute would get her out of trouble.

"Hello, Maddie," Katie said. "We have to get going; we're supposed to be at the Woods' soon."

Madison climbed down from her chair and walked over to Katie, taking the woman's hand.

"What do you say?" Katie prompted.

Madison grinned. "Thank you, Valera."

Valera walked around the work table to stand near Ryan, who gave her a shy smile. "You're welcome, Madison."

"I'll walk you out," Paula said. "Ryan, do you need anything else?"

Ryan shrugged. "Nah, I'm good. I just want to – uhm – talk with Valera for a minute."

Paula led Katie and Madison back to the breakroom for Madison's bookbag and then out past reception, where they turned in their visitor's passes.

"Now can we go see Janie?" Madison asked as they signed out.

Katie held up her finger for patience. "In one moment. It seems to me, you have something you need to say to Sergeant Martin."

Madison glanced up, her face puzzled.

"You were told to stay in the breakroom?" Katie supplied. "You worried her?"

"Oh." Madison sighed deeply and squared her little shoulders. She turned around to Paula. "I'm sorry." She glanced again at Katie, who had folded her arms, waiting. "I'm sorry for not staying in the breakroom and for worrying you."

Paula bent to Madison's eyelevel. "Apology accepted, Madison. Please don't wander around the crime lab again. We have some strict rules because we want to arrest the bad guys. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Madison said. She leaned forward quickly and kissed Paula's cheek, surprising the adults. "I want you to catch the bad guys, so I'll do what you tell me."

Paula touched Madison's hair briefly. "Okay, then. No harm done."

Paula watched Katie and Madison leave with a little wave. She smiled to herself while checking over the log left by Jessup while she was searching for Madison. Everything was the way it should be.

Tyler came through the lab doors, grabbing the sign-out board, wearing a glower. "If I ever," he growled, "find out who messed with the Wintz simulation, I'll electrocute him on my control board."

Paula felt the need to alphabetize the evidence locker, again.


	16. Owning Up

_Disclaimer: All I own is my Katie, two cats and a very cute silver Saturn, which can be viewed on my LJ, reportergirlkes. However, if you want to see the cats, one of them has his own LJ, too – lucadavid._

_A/N: I cut out of work early today and hid at the new coffee shop, so you get another chapter, which finishes Madison's lab adventures. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter – I was really trying for the funny and, judging by your responses, I got it. Thank you for those – they are a big help to me in becoming a better writer and getting you better stories._

Katie checked her watch and sighed in frustration. They were so close to the exit off Route 395 to the Woods' South Beach neighborhood and traffic was crawling. Madison had amused herself for a while by watching the other cars and then by coloring in the backseat. Katie fiddled with the radio, hoping to find a traffic report.

"Miss Katie?" Madison said from the backseat.

Katie glanced at her from the rearview mirror. Madison had put her coloring book and crayons back in her backpack and now wore a concerned expression.

"Yes, sweetie?" Katie replied. She checked her watch again. Horatio might have had better luck coming back to pick up Madison himself. Katie had rescheduled a coffee interview to fetch his niece.

Not that she minded, Katie reflected. _That's what being a family is about_. She glanced back to Madison, wondering when she had started to think of them as family.

"Am I in trouble?" Madison asked. She was twirling her hair.

Katie thought a moment before answering. "I don't know, Madison. That's up to your uncle."

"You're not going to tell him, are you?" Madison asked, her voice sounding hopeful.

"Madison," Katie said, slipping the silver Saturn between two other cars to change lanes, "when I was a little kid, I used to have these adventures and occasionally – occasionally – they weren't a good idea. I found out it was better if I told my dad what had happened before the grown-up who caught me did. I might still be in trouble, but it wasn't as bad as it was when someone else told him first."

Madison mulled this over. Katie heard the little girl let out an exaggerated sigh. "So you think I should tell Uncle Horatio?"

Katie reached the exit and pulled them off the highway and down to the city street. "I do," Katie told her. "Uncle Horatio would rather hear it from you than from me or Sergeant Martin or Mr. Wolf."

"But they won't tell," Madison pleaded. "And you don't have to."

Katie didn't say anything. She didn't want to see Madison in trouble either, but she knew that Horatio would be disappointed to walk into work the next day and hear his niece had the run of the lab. Madison pouted in the backseat.

It took another fifteen minutes to get to the Woods' home. Bryan was riding his bike on the sidewalk as Katie pulled the car alongside the curb. He grinned and waved at Madison, calling over his shoulder for his sister, Janie.

Katie parked the car and turned around in the seat. "I'll make you a deal, Madison," she said. "You tell Uncle Horatio what happened and I won't say anything to him about it. But if you don't tell him, I have to tell him before I go home tonight."

Madison wore the saddest face and said, "okay." She climbed out of the car, dragging her bookbag. Janie came from the house and grabbed up her bag, her own face clouding in concern at her younger friend's distress.

Katie grabbed her purse and stepped from the car, feeling like the bad guy. It was better, in the long run, for Madison to take responsibility for her actions, she knew. It just sucked to be the one to teach her that.

_--LMM --_

Madison sat next to Janie in the treehouse outside the lanai, swinging their legs off the side and sucking on lime popsicles. Janie was older than Madison – four whole years older – but she was her bestfriend in the whole world. Janie said it was good they were bestfriends because Uncle Horatio and Dr. Alexx where bestfriends, too. Madison didn't understand how a boy and a girl could be bestfriends, but she liked being with Janie.

"So you wandered around the crime lab without anyone watching you?" Janie prompted, slurping on the popsicle.

"I did," Madison said, feeling a bit better after Miss Katie's lecture in the car.

"I went with Mom to work once, but she wouldn't let me see dead bodies," Janie said. "But she did show me her autopsy theater. It was neat."

Madison made a face at the idea of dead bodies. "I saw your mommy's office once," she told Janie.

The girls watched Dennis and Katie come out on the lanai with glasses of iced tea. Dennis waved to them and Janie waved back.

"So what do you think Lt. Caine is going to do to you?" Janie said, sensing Madison's worry. "Is he going to ground you?"

"Ground me?" Madison asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"You know," Janie said, "make you stay in the house and not go out and play. Won't let you do anything."

"Oh." Madison thought it over. She had never really been in trouble with Uncle Horatio before but Mommy sometimes sent her to her room. "I dunno."

"Do you think he'll yell at you?" Janie asked.

Madison swung her legs. "He only yells at bad guys."

"You hope," Janie supplied.

"I hope," Madison agreed.

Bryan walked across the backyard and climbed up the ladder to the treehouse. He grinned at the girls.

"What do you want, bug-brain?" Janie asked her little brother.

"I'm not a bug-brain," he snapped back at her. "But I caught a gecko."

"Ooo," Madison squealed. "Let me see!"

Bryan stuck his tongue out at Janie and nudged his way between the girls. Madison reached out to tap the little lizard on his head. Janie made a face; in the last couple of months she decided she was too much a girl to play with geckos.

Below, Dennis and Katie looked up as they heard the garage door open. Alexx and Horatio appeared in the kitchen. Alexx immediately opened the cupboard and took out two glasses and handed them to Horatio. He opened her freezer and filled the glasses with ice. Alexx reached back into the cupboard and produced a bottle of whiskey, pouring two fingers in each glass. Horatio opened the refrigerator while she replaced the bottle and took out the sour mixer, added it to the glasses and handed them back to Alexx, now armed with a spoon to stir their drinks.

The sliding door was already open and Horatio waited until Alexx was ready before walking with her to the lanai. Alexx took the chair next to her husband, who gently placed his hand on top of her. Horatio leaned down to lay a soft kiss to Katie's lips before seating himself next to her.

"Too many children die in this city," Alexx said simply to Dennis' nod toward her glass. Horatio grimly tipped his head in agreement.

Katie slipped her fingers through Horatio's. "Es siempre triste cuando un niño muere," she said softly.

"Sí," he whispered back. "Lo es."

Up in the treehouse, Madison saw her uncle and Janie's mom come out on the lanai. Madison's breath hitched enough for Janie to notice. She squeezed the younger girl's hand. "He seems sad," Janie noted, "not like he's going to be angry or anything."

Madison turned to Janie. "Will you come with me?"

"Yeah, I'll come," Janie agreed. She followed Madison down the ladder and across the small backyard to the lanai door.

The adults watched the girls enter the lanai and Katie was a little relieved to see Horatio's face soften at the sight of his niece. Madison's eyes were downcast and she was dragging her feet. Janie was right behind her, sending pleading looks to her parents.

"There's my girl," Horatio said, opening his arms to embrace Madison. Janie drifted to her dad's side; Dennis circled her with one arm.

Horatio tilted Madison's chin upward, frowning. "Why so sad, sweetheart? Did you and one of your friends have a fight?

"Uncle Horatio," Madison said, "I have to tell you something."

Horatio noted the seriousness in her tone and pressed his lips together firmly. He looked up to Alexx. "Can we – uh – can we use your livingroom for a few minutes?"

"Take all the time you need, sugar," Alexx told him. Horatio stood, holding Madison's hand. They left through the kitchen door.

Once inside, Horatio sat on the couch and folded his hands. Madison stood in front of him, eyes still down, biting her lip.

"Okay, Madison," Horatio began, "now tell me what it is."

Madison looked up just a little and then back at her hands. "Miss Katie said I had to tell you," she said and hesitated.

"Tell me, tell me what, Madison?" Horatio asked.

"I went wandering through the lab alone after you left," she blurted out. "I wanted to go exploring and maybe see Mr. Ryan and play with the cool machines. But he wasn't there and I met Valera and she showed me these little bitty cells on the inside of my cheek. But I didn't tell Miss Paula where I was going and she and Miss Katie and Mr. Ryan had to come find me."

Horatio's lips pressed tightly together and he suppressed a chuckle. The image of his CSI, his girlfriend and the desk sergeant frantically scouring the lab was amusing. He stared at his hands until he was sure he had his composure.

"Madison," he said at last. "I'm glad you told me. We have rules about who can be in the lab, and do you remember one of those rules is you have to be accompanied by a CSI at all times?" Madison nodded glumly. "Can you tell me why?"

"So you can catch the bad guys," Madison answered.

"That's right, partner," he said. "If one of the bad guys knew you had been wandering around, they might say you tampered with the evidence and, therefore, it was wrong. We can't have that happen."

"I know," she said. "I just want to be a CSI, like you."

Horatio smiled. "I know. And someday, you will be. And I will be very proud of you." Horatio thought a moment, finding his answer. "Tell you what. You can start acting like a CSI now. You did the first step – you told me the truth. Now, the second step is recognizing the chain of command. Do you know what that is?"

Madison shook her head 'no.'

"That's okay," Horatio said. "It means we have a certain way of working out who is in charge. Now, I am the lieutenant; that means I'm in charge. Miss Calleigh and Mr. Eric and Mr. Ryan have to do what I tell them. So, what I want you to agree to, just like one of my CSIs, is to always follow the chain of command."

"Always do what you say?" Madison clarified, starting to understand.

"Yes," Horatio told her. "And if I'm not there, you do what the next person in the chain tells you. Today, that person was Sergeant Paula. As the newest CSI, you would have to do what Miss Calleigh or Mr. Eric asked you to do if they are in charge, understand?"

Madison nodded. "That's what CSIs do?"

"That's what CSIs do," Horatio replied. "And if you're going to be a CSI, you need to follow that chain of command."

"I can do that," Madison promised. She started to smile and then looked worried again. "Am I grounded?"

Horatio shook his head. "Not this time," he told her, "but you break the chain of command again and I'll have to ground you, because I can't afford to have a CSI not do her job. Okay?"

Madison nodded solemnly. Horatio reached across and hugged her tightly. She put her arms around his neck and nuzzled under his chin. "I love you, Uncle Horatio," she said.

Horatio kissed the top of Madison's head. "I love you, too."

_Translation:_

_Katie slipped her fingers through Horatio's. "It's always sad when a child dies," she said softly._

"_Yes," he whispered back. "It is."_


	17. Mothers & Daughters

_Disclaimer: Here's an unusual one for you – my mother is a really cool lady with a generous heart. If you're looking for her in what I write, look behind Alexx and you'll see my Mom. Oh, and yeah, _CSI: Miami_, not mine._

_A/N: I spent three days waiting for Alexx to say something at one point in writing this section. During that time I ended up sketching more of this fic, refining the one planned to come after it and – ak! – sketching a fourth fic. We'll see if I get there, but Jimmy Buffett sings and I write. At some point I'll put the sketches on my LiveJournal – I had written then and then LJ _**ate**_ them – so much sadness there – so I have to redo them. The next two are planned to move Madison and her Uncle Horatio into the future so can see who she might be as she grows up._

Suzie twirled her hair nervously, stealing a glance at Alexx Woods calmly drinking her iced tea. They had talked about the end of Suzie's first semester at Miami University and about their daughters. Alexx smiled sweetly at her and had tried to reassure Suzie that lunch would go well. But still, Suzie worried hat maybe this hadn't been a good idea.

Louise Barnam was late meeting them for lunch. Alexx watched Suzie above the rim of her iced tea glass. The poor dear was antsy and fidgeted in her chair. With some guilt, Alexx watched for the scratching and sniffing that would indicate Suzie had used meth again. Instead, the young blond woman sighed, stretched, twirled her hair and wrung her hands. She was nervous but showed no signs of having used a drug. Alexx laid her hand gently on Suzie's.

"She's late," Suzie told Alexx. "Mother is never late."

Alexx nodded. "Saturday afternoon traffic can pick up unexpectedly. She'll be here soon, I'm sure."

Suzie nodded. She looked miserable.

"Sugar," Alexx said, drawing her attention. "It will be alright. Now," Alexx sat up a little straighter, "draw yourself up. Smile. You are a tough young lady and no one can take your dignity from you or make you feel foolish unless you let them."

Suzie sat up a bit in her chair and took a deep breath. She looked from Alexx to across the room.

"She's here," Suzie squeaked.

Alexx looked back over her shoulder. Mrs. Barnam had come on the patio of the small restaurant. The other woman _bustled_, which Alexx had only thought of as a figure of speech until then. She carried a handbag rather than a purse and wore high heels and dress that was too warm for Miami, even in December. Her gate was determined but still had a sway to the hips and shoulders. In demeanor, Alexx decided Suzie had to take after her father.

"Suzanne," Mrs. Barnam said by way of greeting. Suzie stood and offered her mother a wane smile but did not move to embrace her. Alexx remained in her seat.

"Hello, Mother," Suzie said. "How are you today?"

Mrs. Barnam glanced up and down Suzie and sniffed noticeably. Alexx folded her hands on the table with a pleasant smile. Suzie shifted from foot to foot, one hand still on the table for balance. The awkwardness between mother and daughter was obvious.

"And you are?" Mrs. Barnam snapped, turning her attention to Alexx.

Alexx continued to smile, Horatio's diatribe against this woman echoing behind her ears. "Dr. Alexx Woods," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Mrs. Barnam grabbed one of the chairs and abruptly seated herself. Suzie sank back into her chair between her mother and Alexx. She glanced towards Alexx, who smiled warmly at her with a little nod.

"Are you Madison's doctor?" Mrs. Barnam asked. She raised a hand and snapped her fingers in the direction of the waiter.

"No," Alexx said. "I'm a family friend."

The waiter came over and quickly took Mrs. Barnam's drink order. Alexx asked for a second iced tea and Suzie shook her head "no" in response to refreshing her drink.

"Well," Mrs. Barnam said, adjusting her position in the chair. "I thought if we met together and talked without our lawyers and your – well, that man, anyway – around, maybe we could come to some agreement here."

"Do you mean Horatio, Mother?" Suzie asked. It was the form of a question but her voice had no inflection for one. Her eyes were steady as she glared at her mother. Alexx found herself paying careful attention to the subtext. "My brother-in-law?"

Mrs. Barnam shrugged as if it didn't matter. "If that's what you call him," she said, the tone hiding an insult. "It's not like you were ever married to this Raymond fellow. I thought you had eloped with Bob-somebody."

"Detective Raymond Caine was a decorated police officer," Alexx said gently, hoping to smooth things over. "He cared deeply for your daughter and tried to get her away from a bad situation."

"Took advantage of her, is more like it," Mrs. Barnam corrected. "Anyway, Suzie and I need to discuss family business here, doctor."

Alexx tipped her head but her eyes flashed. Suzie noticed and turned quickly. "Mother," she said, "Alexx is here because I invited her. You're not going to dismiss her like that."

Mrs. Barnam frowned. She signed and opened her menu. Alexx settled back in her chair. After a few tense minutes, Mrs. Barnam closed the menu and laid it aside. "Oh, very well. If you can't trust yourself to be alone with your mother, I can accept this woman sitting here."

"It's not me I don't trust," Suzie said through her teeth.

"Perhaps we should order?" Alexx suggested. She signaled to the passing waiter.

The women placed their orders. Suzie played with her napkin while Mrs. Barnam continued to stare somewhere past Alexx's shoulder. Alexx smiled at her and at Suzie and then folded her hands on the table. Neither mother nor daughter seemed to want to speak first.

Finally Mrs. Barnam turned to Alexx, "So, you're a doctor."

"Yes," Alexx said pleasantly. "I'm a member of the medical examiner's office."

"That where you and Suzie met?" she asked. "County Medicare clinic?"

Alexx finished the sip of her drink quickly, surprised that Mrs. Barnam didn't know what the medical examiner's office did. "No, Louise," she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. "We met through Horatio. I work with him; I'm the coroner who handles most of his cases."

She would never admit it, but Alexx was amused to see Mrs. Barnam shift uncomfortably in her seat. Alexx sipped at her iced tea and smiled.

"And what do you do, Louise?" she asked.

"I am a housewife," Mrs. Barnam said proudly. "Richard and I have a nice home in the suburbs. We had such hopes for both our children." Here she shot a disappointed glare at Suzie. "My son is a lawyer," she added pointedly.

"Martin left home at 17," Suzie tossed back at her.

"At least he's on the right side of the courtroom," Mrs. Barnam snapped. "He's never been arrested."

"Because the perfect son can do no wrong," Suzie returned. "Even when he hasn't called home in two years."

"Instead, you send a postcard and say 'by the way, I have a kid,'" Mrs. Barnam answered.

"It wasn't a postcard, it was a ten-page letter," Suzie corrected. "And she's my kid, not yours. You can go home and live your happy life; leave us alone in Miami!"

The Barnam women folded their arms and glared at one another across the table. The unfortunate waiter returned with their orders, quietly setting the plates down and retreating back inside the restaurant.

Alexx calmly began eating her salad. After a while, Mrs. Barnam started on her sandwich. Suzie played with her food.

"My daughter, Janie, will be turning ten soon," Alexx eventually said. "She'll be in middle school next year. It amazes me how quickly she's grown, how she's changing from a little girl into a teenager so soon." Alexx dipped her fork into her salad dressing and picked up a few pieces of lettuce. Mrs. Barnam ignored her but Suzie looked up from her plate. "She would die to hear me say this, but Janie is precious to me. I would never want to lose my precious daughter. And part of keeping her close to me is learning to trust her to make her own decisions, without me looking over her shoulder."

Suzie smiled shyly at Alexx and nodded. Mrs. Barnam turned her eyes to her. "Doctor," she said blandly, "I know you mean well, but save me the moral of story until Janie comes home to kick a drug addiction."

"Suzie is sober," Alexx said, her voice becoming matter of fact. "And, I think, you'll be pleased to know she is a good mother. Seeing a child through a life-threatening illness makes one sober and adult very quickly."

"Mother," Suzie said, "I would like you to know Madison. I nearly lost my baby last year, but she survived. And so did. I will never go back to Tina. Madison is too important to me."

Mrs. Barnam sighed. "Suzanne, I wish I could believe you, but I don't. You've let me down too many times. I'll let you see her, but I know that she'll have a better chance with me and your father."

"Madison has a mother: me," Suzie told her. "And Horatio is more than a father to her. She's healthy and happy and well-cared for. Why won't you see what's in front of you?"

"I see a recovering tweaker in front of me," Mrs. Barnam said, "who should never have had a child."

They finished lunch in silence. Alexx held her tongue until the bill was paid and Suzie excused herself to wash her hands before they left. Alexx and Mrs. Barnam waited beside the restaurant door.

"Louise," Alexx said at last, "do you want Suzie as your daughter?"

"What?" Mrs. Barnam asked, surprised.

"If you don't want Suzie because of her past, fine," Alexx continued. "I'll take her. She can be my daughter and I'll love her as my own. I am proud of what she has accomplished."

"Suzie is 25-years-old," Mrs. Barnam said. "No one adopts someone who is 25."

"I will," Alexx said. "Recovering meth addict and all. And I will make sure Madison is cared for. You won't need to worry about either of them again."

Mrs. Barnam stared at Alexx in confusion for a long minute. "I don't know what you're getting at."

"If you knew your daughter at all, you would," Alexx told her as Suzie returned.


	18. An Eric & Calleigh Moment

_Disclaimer: If I owned _CSI: Miami_ then the practical money concerns of my life just wouldn't be._

_A/N: My kitty is not feeling well and I am planning a vet trip for us this week. So, the next update will come along after I know how she's doing. Thank you for reviews! I do love them – I admit it – and they are a big help for me when writing and refining my style. That and it is just cool to know people are reading along! Thank you again and let me know what you like._

_I promised a little more Eric and Calleigh, so here they are. We are past 2/3 of the story now; I planning about a week story (not real-life, sorry) time left in Little Miss Madison. Remember, for them it's still December. I'm sure Santa Claus goes to Miami._

Horatio stood at the window in his office, coffee mug in hand, staring at the parking lot below. Alexx had just shared with him her lunch with Suzie and her mother on Saturday while they fixed their coffees in the breakroom. It hadn't gone as well as he would have hoped, but no worse than he feared. Horatio sighed, breathing in the steam from his mug.

Katie had taken Madison Christmas shopping Saturday while he wandered the mall separately, searching for gifts for the women in his life. Horatio had always considered himself a solitary man and was dumbfounded as to how he ended up with a list for his best friend, his girlfriend, his sister-in-law and his shining niece.

Below, he watched as a grey Tahoe pulled into the lot. The SUV took a space at the edge of the pavement before parking. The doors opened and Eric emerged from the driver's side, followed by Calleigh from the passenger's seat. Horatio smiled, enjoying his secret perch above them. Calleigh waited on the sidewalk at the nose of the vehicle for Eric, who took her hand when he stepped up to her. The couple briefly kissed and Horatio could see Calleigh giggle below. Her hair swayed in front of her face for a moment, a spray of blond that splashed across Eric's darker features. They walked toward the front steps of CSI, dropping hands as they approached the building. Horatio thought they looked happy.

_Yeah, of course they do_, Horatio thought he heard Speed say, _they took long enough to get here_. Horatio bobbed his head and grinned, agreeing. Tim Speedle would have been the first to congratulated Calleigh and Eric – after he complained thoroughly at them for taking so long to figure out the obvious.

A tapping at his door took Horatio's attention away from his reverie. Kenwall Duquesne stood there with an envelope that he came forward and handed to Horatio.

"That nice young lady at the reception desk sent me inside," he explained. "We have the final court dates. The judge wants to meet with Madison this week and then will give her decisions next week."

Horatio frowned, taking the envelope. He opened to take out the writ. He read, his frown deepening.

"Okay," he said at last. Horatio looked up, noticing for the first time the family resemblance between Kenwall and Calleigh. The same worry creases, the same down-turn at the corner of the mouth as when Calleigh's face held concern. "I can tell you that I'll be relieved when this is over."

Kenwall nodded. "It will be soon enough." He smiled, again like his daughter. "Horatio, you and Suzie have nothing to fear. Louise Barnam has not met the standard to have Madison removed from her mother."

Horatio offered Kenwall a tight smile for thanks and nodded again.

"Well, I best be going," Kenwall told Horatio. "I want to pop in on my little lambchop before heading over to the public defender's office."

"Ah – she just came in," Horatio said, indicating toward the window. "She'll most likely be in the breakroom now."

Kenwall waved and turned to go. He paused and turned back, clearing his throat. "Uh – just one more thing," he said hesitantly. "This Eric Delko –"

"Calleigh couldn't be with a better man," Horatio told him.

Kenwall smiled. "That's what I thought," he said and left. Horatio chuckled to himself.

_--LMM--_

Calleigh's eyes danced merrily as Eric held her coffee mug out of reach. He grinned wolfishly, waving the mug high over his head.

"For a price," he told her. "I'll let you have your mug for a price."

"And what is that, you big bully?" she demanded, trying to body-check him.

"A kiss," Eric said. "One more kiss to start the day."

Calleigh rested her hands on her hips, having regained her balance after Eric sidestepped her. "Ha," she retorted. "I'll just take yours." With that she darted across the room to the counter and cupboards.

"Hey!" Eric whirled around but wasn't quick enough. Calleigh rushed past him to cupboard, snatching his mug from the open lower shelf. Giggling madly, she again ducked under his arm and headed to the coffee pot.

"Yipe!" Calleigh cried out, finding herself lifted from the floor. Eric held her up over his shoulder. Calleigh's legs flailed the air and her hair fell over her head to Eric's knees. "Put me down, Delko!"

"Oh, I will, I will," Eric said calmly. "Just as soon as you give my coffee mug."

"Not as long as you have me upside down!" Calleigh said, trying hard not laugh. "Promise you'll give me my mug back!"

"Promise you'll give me a kiss and I'll –" Eric turned Calleigh around, turning himself to face Kenwall Duquesne.

"Dad!" Calleigh said in surprise from her inverted position over Eric's shoulder.

"Mr. Duquesne," Eric just as quickly. He bent down and released Calleigh to her own feet. She quickly pushed back her hair and shoved Eric's mug at him.

Kenwall bit his bottom lip, taking in the scene of his daughter, disheveled and panting, and Eric Delko blushing in embarrassment. He let them stew for a moment then grinned.

"Now is that anyway to start your day?" he chided. "You never know when someone might walk in."

"Dad, we were – uh – we were just –" Calleigh stumbled to explain.

Eric stepped forward, gracefully looking chagrinned. "Mr. Duquesne, I'm very sorry," he said. "Calleigh and I were teasing and it got out of hand."

"It seemed you had my daughter very much in hand," Kenwall commented. "Just see that you don't drop her."

Eric glanced at Calleigh, whose eyes where still large. "Of course, sir," he answered.

Kenwall walked over and lightly kissed Calleigh's cheek. "I have to get to my office," he told her. "Will I see you this week?"

"Yeah, Dad," Calleigh said. "Dinner on Wednesday. Eric and I are taking you out."

Kenwall nodded to Eric. "Good, good," he told him. "I look forward to it, young man." He looked at his watch. "Oops, now I'm running late. Take care of my little girl."

"I will, Mr. Duquesne," Eric promised.


	19. Judge Peggy

_Disclaimer: Really, not mine._

_Editor's note: You're so good to be patient for the next few chapters! I've been busy with work and such, plus ended up detouring into Federation space and visiting with Captain Picard – but don't expect anything over on that board anytime soon._

_Since "Collision" I need to state again that either I or the writers of _CSI: Miami_ have gone alt-universe. We learned, sadly, that Horatio's father killed his mom; however, I am remaining with the original bios that said Horatio and Raymond never knew their dad and the late Ms. Caine was killed when she stood up to a drug dealer. While not a big deal for this chapter, if I continue the series (it's a series now) the original storyline plays into my sketches._

_Okay, on with it…_

Madison picked at the fuzz on the skirt of her school uniform. Mommy was nervous, Madison thought, as she watched Suzie rub at her arms and bite the bottom of her lip. Uncle Horatio arrived with Miss Katie; she watched as Suzie hugged them both and Horatio shook hands with Mr. Duke. Miss Katie gave her a bag of M&M's while the other grown-ups talked.

Madison looked around the big lobby outside the courtroom. The floor was white with black speckles and long grey lines separating it into big blocks. The walls were another shade of white with a red wood railing that went the length of the hallway. The ceiling was high up and bowl-shaped lamps hung down with yellow half-globes. Madison swung her legs on the bench beside Miss Katie, who was smoothing down her hair while listening to Uncle Horatio.

"It will be alright," she heard Uncle Horatio say to Suzie. Madison's mother sighed deeply and said, "I hope so, Horatio."

There was the sharp clipping of shoes and Madison turned from her mother and uncle to look down the hallway again. Smiling as she carried a heavy canvas bag by the straps was Mrs. Grey, the social worker lady from up North.

"It's good to see you all here," Mrs. Grey said. She smiled at Suzie. "Miss Barnam, Lt. Caine. Ah," she turned to Mr. Duke, "you must be Kenwall Duquesne. I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Maxine Grey, the case worker for Madison."

"Ma'am," Mr. Duke said, nodding politely.

"I'm sure you know how this works," Mrs. Grey said. "We'll go in and be sworn-in. Then the judge will ask to talk with Madison in his chambers. I'll go in with her but there won't be any lawyers."

Suzie nodded. Kenwall Duquesne rested his hand on her shoulder, offering his most fatherly smile. Horatio took a few steps to where Madison and Katie sat; Katie nodded and stood up, giving him her space.

Horatio sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands. "Madison," he said, "do you remember what I told you about CSIs always telling the truth?" Madison nodded to his, looking at her uncle with big eyes. "Good, good, partner," he said. "When you go to talk with the judge, I want you to remember that. Make sure you tell the truth."

Madison nodded solemnly. "Yes, Uncle Horatio." She twisted her hair. "I won't get you and Mommy in trouble, will I?"

Horatio took a sharp intake of breath before smiling as gently as he could. "No, Madison," he told her. "There is nothing you could say or do that would get Mommy or me in trouble."

She nodded again. Madison impulsively pulled her legs up on the bench and knelt, leaning into Horatio. She kissed his cheek. In a soft voice, she whispered for his ear only, "I'm scared."

Horatio pulled his niece into his arms, breathing in the strawberry scent of her hair. Madison burrowed into his neck, squeezing her eyes shut, taking comfort from his presence. Uncle Horatio was big and strong and the bad guys were afraid of him. No matter what happened, she believed he could keep her safe.

"It's okay to be scared," he whispered back. "But just know that your mother and I are always here for you and we will – _I will_ – never let you go. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered back. "I love you, Uncle Horatio."

Horatio closed his eyes briefly, offering his prayer of thanks for this small child. "I love you, too, sweetheart," he said softly.

_--LMM--_

After all the grown-ups and Madison, including that grandmother-lady, had gone into the courtroom and were sworn-in (a funny phrase, since no one said any bad words), the judge said she wanted to talk with Madison. Mrs. Gray extended her hand and Madison shyly took it, leaving Mommy and Uncle Horatio seated on benches in the courtroom.

They walked through a door at the side of the judge's bench. There was a little hallway and Madison was led through a door into a small office. The judge was sitting behind a desk and smiled at Madison and Mrs. Gray.

"Please, Madison, have a seat on the couch," the judge said. Madison glanced at Mrs. Gray, who nodded, and walked over to the green couch. She hopped up, swinging her legs. Mrs. Gray sat down in the chair across from the desk.

"Madison, do you know who I am?" the judge asked.

Madison nodded again. "You're the judge lady. You decide if I can stay with Mommy."

"That's right," the judge said. "My name is Peggy Maxwell. I have been talking with your mom and your uncle and your grandma about who can best take care of you."

Madison frowned. "Mommy takes care of me. I love my mommy. And Uncle Horatio takes care of me, too. You're not going to take me away from them are you?"

Judge Peggy smiled, trying to reassure the little girl. "That's part of why you and I are having this conversation. I want to hear from you before I make any decision about where the best place for you to live is."

"I don't wanna live with Granmom," Madison said defiantly, "and you can't make me."

The judge nodded and glanced slightly toward Mrs. Grey. "Madison, someday you will be old enough to decide where you want to live," she said, "but right now, the law says that an adult has to make that decision for you. And, because the adults in your life are arguing, it's my job to take a look at things and decide."

"That's a stupid law," Madison informed the judge.

Judge Peggy smiled and shook her head. "Not really," she explained. "The idea is someone who isn't so close can sometimes see things better."

Madison pouted, still thinking it was a stupid law and that it smelled funny in the lady judge's office. She watched Judge Peggy make a note on a piece of paper. Madison tugged at the hem of her uniform and missed her teacher, Sister Fran.

"Madison," Judge Peggy said, looking up from her notes. "Why don't you tell me about your mommy and Uncle Horatio. What is it like living with them?"

She cocked her head, thinking, and watched the judge carefully. "What do you mean?'

"Well –" the judge glanced at Mrs. Gray again. "Do you remember living with Bob Keaton? Are things better now than when you and your mommy lived with him?"

"Daddy?" Madison asked. She frowned and bit at the bottom of her lip. She didn't like to think about Daddy. She missed him sometimes but knew that Uncle Horatio didn't like him. "Mommy said he had to go away because he did a bad thing and Uncle Horatio said Daddy died before he could come home."

Judge Peggy nodded and leaned a little bit forward. "That sounds sad," she said.

Madison just nodded and tugged furiously at the hem of her skirt. "You won't take me away because Daddy did a bad thing, will you?" she asked. "I was a little girl when that happened."

The judge saw Madison's distress and backed away from the topic. "Do you like living with your mommy?"

Madison's head bobbed enthusiastically. "Mommy is really nice. And she's happier, too, with her new job and our new apartment. She's funny, too. She likes to make sugar cookies and sometimes on Saturday we make so many cookies we need to give some to Uncle Horatio. Sometimes we go to the mall and play with the kitties at the pet shop. And we watch movies and eat popcorn. And on parent-teacher night, I got to introduce Mommy to Sister Fran and they laughed a lot, just like they were sisters, too."

Judge Peggy made some notes and smiled. "It sounds like you keep busy. What about your Uncle Horatio? Mrs. Grey told me that you spend weekends with him and sometimes school nights."

Madison's eye twinkled. "He got me a gecko," she told him. "Well, Miss Calleigh taped it to his door at CSI but then he gave it to me. He's really funny, like mommy. He works a lot but sometimes he takes me to work with him and Mr. Ryan let me look in the microscope. And we go to the beach and we go for ice cream. He really likes to go to Checkers. And sometimes his girlfriend, Miss Katie, will come with us and she's pretty. He calls her 'novia' sometimes. And Uncle Horatio said he'd teach me to go fishing this spring. He came to school last month for career day, too."

The little girl was off on a detailed lecture about her mother and her uncle, the judge occasionally taking notes and Mrs. Grey nodded silently behind her.

_--LMM--_

Horatio checked his watched for the umpteenth time while they waited. Katie quietly rested her hand on his forearm and smiled as reassuringly as possible. He sighed and let the sleeve of his jacket cover the watch again.

"What's taking so long?" Suzie whispered.

"I'm sure the judge is doing her best to get to know Madison," Kenwall told her. "Don't worry, young lady. This is not unusual."

From across the isle, Mrs. Barnam snorted in disgust. "I don't see why this is necessary," she said to no one in particular.

Katie, Kenwall, Horatio and Suzie turned to glare at her but said nothing.

Mrs. Barnam turned in her seat and leaned toward the other side. "Suzanne, you shouldn't being putting your daughter through this," she said more loudly than before.

"Look who's talking," Katie muttered.

Kenwall leaned over to quietly say something into Suzie's ear. She nodded and said nothing to her mother.

The bailiff returned and stood beside the door. "All rise."

The groups came to their feet. Judge Peggy Maxwell entered the courtroom again, holding Madison's hand. Mrs. Grey followed. Madison let go of the judge's hand and ran over to her mother.

"Please be seated," the judge instructed. Once they were, she continued, "I've talked with Madison and I believe she is a charming, articulate and thoughtful little girl. I am going to take our conversation into consideration to make my decision. We will meet again –" she turned to the court clerk who said, "Next Wednesday at three." The judge nodded. "Wednesday at three we will meet again and I will give my decision pertaining to the custody of Madison Kyndall Keaton at that time, along with the secondary motion pertaining to said minor child. In the meantime, I see no reason why Madison should not remain with her mother."

Maxwell tapped her gavel, the bailiff again told them to rise and she left the courtroom.

Kenwall placed his hand on Suzie's shoulder. "We're almost done," he told her.

Madison leaned against her mother. "Do I have'ta go back to school today? I wanna go to Checkers."

Mrs. Barnam and her lawyer approached them. "Suzanne –"

"Mother," Suzie said, her voice tired. "On advice of my counsel, I am no longer speaking to you. Have a good day."

Turning back to Madison, she said, "Finish up your school day and maybe your Uncle Horatio can take you to Checkers."

Katie smothered a snicker while Horatio grimaced. He hid it and tilted his head down to Madison. "Checkers sounds fine, partner."

Mrs. Barnam, seeing how outside of the family she was, left the courtroom.


	20. One Quiet Moment

_Disclaimer: _CSI: Miami_ is not mine. However, the plane tickets to Florida on Tuesday are all mine. This much closer to Miami._

_A/N: Yes, yes, I shall fly to the Sunshine State soon. I'm hoping that I'll have writing tome down there – or at least in the Atlanta airport along the way. But we're getting close now. This is a quiet pause between now and then_. _Thank you for your love and support – Madison sends little-kid kisses._

The Miami rain beat down on the patio home, pushing past the lanai screen and splashing into the pool. It made puddles and little jumps of water on the floor. Thunder boomed from the distance, though the dim light of the afternoon absorbed the flashes of lightening.

The scent of the rain wafted through the open bedroom door to where Horatio and Katie lay on the bedcovers, listening to the rain. She had persuaded Horatio to drop his suite jacket on the floor and her bare leg emerged from under her skirt to lie across his legs, covered still by grey slacks. Horatio's sleeves were rolled up as one arm held Katie under her shoulders. She played with the buttons of his white shirt, just content to listen to the rain with him.

The thunder rolled above the house, shaking the window panes. Katie sighed and laid her head against his chest.

"How is it," Horatio asked softly, "that I gained a family only, only to have it pulled apart?"

"Your family isn't pulled apart," Katie corrected.

Horatio's chest rose and fell as he breathed her scent along with the rain. "Madison and Suzie and you." His hand smoothed Katie's hair. "All in the last year – all in the last six months. I never thought I would have this. And now – tomorrow – I could lose it all."

Katie poked her head dup slightly. "Listen, buddy, you're not breaking up with me."

Horatio chuckled and he turned to lay a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead. "I'm not breaking up with you."

"Good," she told him, resting against his chest again. "Red-haired boyfriends are hard to come by."

He was quiet again as another roll of thunder passed by the house. The wind gusted and the rain pelted through the screen and splashed into the open door.

"If the judge takes Madison away –" Horatio began. Katie reached over and placed her finger against his lips.

"Hush," she said. "Maddie isn't going anywhere. You heard Kenwall; you have an air-tight position. Besides, what about the stand-by proxy?"

Horatio nipped at her finger, which produced a giggle from Katie. He sighed deeply. "I know – but, still – I can't help but worry. So much I could have done better; so much Raymond could do – could have done better –"

"Your brother died before he knew about Madison," Katie said. "He would be grateful to know what you've done for his daughter. Besides, Maddie is more your little girl than she was ever Raymond's."

Horatio bit his tongue, holding back the words. _Raymond_, he thought angrily, _you're the one who should be reassuring your daughter. You should be in court tomorrow_. He said nothing, thinking of the secret letter he would eventually write to his brother concerning the custody battle.

"I suppose you're right, sweetheart," he said at last. "You sure you can afford to take the time off to be there tomorrow?"

Katie nodded, her cheek brushing his shirt in a whisper. "Juan owes me two days off for comp time, so I'm taking one tomorrow. I figure the other one, you can take me away to Key West for a long weekend next month."

"Oh, you do?" he asked with a slight tease to his voice. "Is that what you think, ma'am?"

"I do," she replied. "Am I wrong?"

"Never wrong," he told her. "At least not with me."

Katie giggled again and raised up on her elbow. "You have a family, Horatio. Me and you, Suzie and Madison. We're not going anywhere."

Horatio grinned and pulled her back to him, catching Katie's lips and letting her soothe his doubts for a little while.


	21. Learn to Fly

_Disclaimer: I know you've heard it before, but CSI: Miami and all related characters are not mine. If they were mine then my dating life would be a bit more active. "Little Miss Magic" is the property of Jimmy Buffet._

_A/N: Don't hate me for the cliff-hanger; but we're to the nail-biting. I'm still on vacation, so I'm still looking for more time to write. Thank you for the reviews – they make my day and help the writing._

_Sometimes I catch her dreamin' and wonder where that little mind meanders  
Is she strollin' along the shore or cruisin' o'er the broad Savannah  
I know someday she'll learn to make up her own rhymes  
Someday she's gonna learn how to fly_

_-- Little Miss Magic (Jimmy Buffet)_

Madison did her best to ignore the tightness in her tummy. Mommy would get all worried and think she was sick again if Madison told her, and Mommy was already worried because today was the day the judge lady would tell Madison where she would live.

She dragged her feet getting dressed for school. Suzie called her twice before opening her bedroom door.

"Sweetie, let's go," she told her daughter. "You still have to go to school this morning."

Madison frowned and tugged at her pigtails. "Can't we stay home?"

Suzie sighed deeply, her eyes hollow from last night's tears. She would dearly have loved staying home that day, holding her daughter close, watching movies and eating popcorn with the shades drawn. Kenwall had insisted she and Horatio keep a normal routine, though, during the whole ordeal. That included school and work.

"No," she said, shaking her head with a thin smile. Suzie walked into Madison's room and knelt beside her. She brushed back stray wisps of red hair. "Maddie, I know you're scared and it's okay to be a little scared." Madison nodded. "Whatever happens today will be alright. Mr. Duke says he thinks the judge will dismiss the case and let you stay with me. Even if that doesn't happen, I know your granmom just wants what's best for you."

"Are you a drug add- adtick like she says?" Madison asked her mother.

Suzie's breath caught. She didn't figure that would be the day she would have to answer that question from Madison. She thought carefully before saying, "Once a person becomes addicted to something like drugs, they are always an addict. But, there is a big difference you need to remember – some people are able to pull away from the drugs and say 'no more – I won't do this and let it control me anymore.' Those people are recovering addicts. And that's what I am, a recovering addict. I don't do drugs anymore. Taking methamphetamines is what caused me to mess up my life for a long time and that's why your granmom is worried that I can't take care of you."

"But you don't do drugs anymore?" Madison clarified. "That's why I can stay with you?"

Suzie nodded, hoping she was making sense. She hadn't planned on this question for a few more years. "Right, little girl. I made a bad mistake and I won't do it again. I love you too much."

Madison threw her arms around Suzie's neck. "I love you, too, Mommy," she said.

Suzie worked hard to keep the tears from leaking out of her eyes. She didn't want to worry Madison further.

_--LMM--_

Peggy, Kim and Lynne huddled at the front door of St. Anne's Parish School, whispering. Madison saw them as her mother pulled into the driveway in front of the school. She was the last to arrive for the day and the other girls knew the day when the judge lady would make up her mind.

Madison gave her mom a quick hug and kiss next to the car.

"Uncle Horatio will be here to pick you up before lunch," Suzie told her. "And I think Miss Katie is coming with him. And then I'll see you at the courthouse. Alright?"

Madison nodded.

"Good girl," Suzie said and kissed her forehead. "Then I will see you in a few hours."

Madison watched as her mom got back in the car and left. She waved and then headed to join her friends.

Peggy was the first to greet her, putting her arm around Madison's waist. Lynne took Madison's bookbag and the four girls walked to the corner of the school building, away from the other crowds of children.

"Are you okay?" Kim asked. "My daddy said it's okay to be scared when the judge decided if I was going to live with mommy or daddy."

Madison nodded her head pitifully. "How did the judge decide what to do?"

Kim shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "I was little, like three-years-old."

"What are you gonna do if the judge says you have to move?" Lynne asked.

"I dunno," Madison mumbled.

Peggy jumped up and clapped her hands. The other girls turned to face her. "Okay," she began. "The judge has to decide today, right? But if Madison has a tummy ache and can't go to the court? The judge can't make any decisions and Madison stays with her mommy."

"You're silly," Kim told her. "That's not how it works."

"How do you know?" Peggy responded. "You were a baby. You just said so."

Kim pouted and kicked at the side of the building.

Madison thought Peggy's suggestion over. It made sense to her; if the judge can't make a decision then she can't take Madison from Mommy and Uncle Horatio. Madison twirled her hair. She was already outside and Sister Fran hadn't taken attendance yet, so no one would come looking for her until Uncle Horatio came to pick her up. But then, they would miss the court appearance and the judge wouldn't take her away from Mommy.

Uncle Horatio might get mad, though, if she ran away. Madison considered the possibility. But, he was a CSI and he could find her, so even if she got lost she would be okay. It was a big risk to run away, but it would only be for a little while.

She made up her mind. The judge lady was not going to make her leave Mommy. If this was what it took to stay with her mom and uncle, she was going to do it.

"Don't tell Sister Fran that you saw me today, okay?" she said to her friends. "I'm gonna skip school."

Three pairs of eyes grew very wide. Lynne's mouth dropped open.

"Madison, don't," Kim implored.

"I have to," Madison stressed. "If I'm not there, she can't take me away. And Uncle Horatio will find me in time for dinner."

The girls exchanged looks, Kim's shoulder slumping forward.

Peggy dropped her bookbag and took out her lunch. "Here," she said, shoving the apple and cheese stick from inside the bag at her, "take these. You'll get hungry."

Lynne nodded and dug into the front pocket of her backpack. She took out two dollar bills. "You're gonna need some money."

"This is a bad idea," Kim repeated but pulled out the dollar and a quarter that was to have been her lunch money.

Madison put the money and food in her bookbag. Each of the girls hugged her.

"Be careful," Lynne said at the warning bell rang.

"I will," Madison promised.

Peggy looked over her shoulder. "Okay, Mrs. Quinn is watching the school buses. Go now."

Ducking behind the wall her friends formed, Madison ran from the school yard and head down the street into Miami.

_--LMM--_

Horatio's shoes sounded with a click-snap as he and Katie walked down the hallway of St. Anne's School. They entered the attendance office, greeting the secretary with a slight nod.

"I'm here to pick up Madison Keaton," Horatio said, leaning down to sign the form on the counter.

The secretary scanned down the list she held and frowned. "I was just about to call Ms. Barnam. Madison didn't come to school today."

Horatio stood up sharply. Katie frowned.

"Her mother brought her here this morning," Horatio said. "Can you call her classroom? Maybe she missed attendance."

"I just did," the secretary said.

Horatio pulled out his cellphone and opened it. He pushed a few buttons and waited for the response on the other side.

"Suzie," he said, sounding calm but concerned. "Did Madison stay home today?" He paused. "No, no, I'm sure it's just a mix-up." Then, "Yes, as soon as you can." He closed the phone and nodded at Katie. To the secretary, he said, "Her mother is on the way."

"Horatio –" Katie ventured. She stopped when he held up his hand and opened the phone again. "Yes," he said a moment. "This is CSI Caine; I want an Amber Alert for a missing five-year-old girl with red hair."


	22. Learn to Fly 2

_Disclaimer: The world is my oyster. And flying fish sandwich. My lawyer tells me I have no claim _to CSI: Miami_, et al._

_A/N: I fear I shall put one of my readers in an early grave with this post – but here goes anyway! And the best thing about writing fic is when characters start taking over or, in this case, insert themselves in ways I hadn't planned. See if you can spot the two who decided they needed to be in here._

Madison figured she had gone two blocks before she stopped to catch her breath. St. Anne's was on the edge of the metropolitan line of Miami; Madison could glimpse some of the tallest buildings of the city above the tree line. She was in the heavier part of the inner suburbs.

There was a grocery store on the street, along with some houses and small businesses. Madison looked up and down the alley where she stood, planning her next move. She had never been so far away on her own.

"Okay," she aloud to herself. "Uncle Horatio will find me." She paused and thought how she could leave a clue for him. Finding a white stone in a plant bed, she scratched on the black pavement: "MK 3UH"

Madison nodded to herself, certain Uncle Horatio would find her message. For good measure, she added an arrow pointing down the road and headed in that direction.

Her tummy rumbled as she passed the grocery store, which was more of a small tienda. The three dollars and twenty-five cents her friends had given her seemed like a vast sum of money to the five-year-old. She slipped inside and found a freezer with ice cream novelties. Selecting a drumstick ice cream cone, she went to the counter. An older man looked up from his newspaper and frowned to see a little girl in a Catholic school uniform in the middle of the morning at his counter.

"Donde sus padres?" he asked, leaning over the counter.

Madison put the ice cream on the counter and fumbled for her money. She shook her head. "Yo no sé," she told him, pushing the ice cream forward. "Por favor, señor?"

"Un dolar," he said and took the bill she handed him. The man noticed her accent and red hair. He shook his head; he would not want his granddaughter walking around alone when she should be in school.

Madison gave him the money and smiled. "Gracias," she told him and left the store with a little wave.

Watching her go, the man picked up his telephone.

"Sí, policía," he said into the receiver. "Esta una nina camiado solo en mi caya. No tiene sus padres con su."

_--LMM--_

Suzie nearly flew up the steps into St. Anne's Parish School. Horatio was waiting for her, as were Katie and Sister Loretta. Horatio grabbed her as she ran into his arms, her eyes wide with fear and panic.

"Where is she, Horatio?" she pleaded. "Is Madison alright?"

Horatio squeezed Suzie tightly and let her go. "We don't know right yet," he told her honestly. "We've talked with Sister Fran and she said Madison didn't come in with the other girls. She's bringing the girls to Sister Loretta's office now."

"Horatio, she could be anywhere," Suzie said. "I've got to go out and look for her."

Horatio held on to Suzie's arm, preventing her from leaving. "We will," he promised her. "We will find her. My team is on their way now. But we need to know where to look first."

Suzie nodded her head and bit her lip. Katie took her from Horatio and led her back to the empty classroom that was about to become search command center. Just then CSI 2 pulled into the U-shaped driveway in front of the school. Calleigh stepped from the passenger's side, followed by Eric from the driver's door and Ryan Wolfe from the backseat.

"Hey, H," Eric called, carrying his forensics kit. "Where do you want us to begin?"

Horatio put his sunglasses back on and allowed himself a half-smile. His team – his friends, really – had arrived even before dispatch could call them to find his little girl.

"Where we always begin, Eric," he said. "At the beginning."

_--LMM--_

Ice cream cone finished, Madison climbed down from the park bench and surveyed her new surroundings. She heard a church bell ring from somewhere and counted the chimes. There were eleven of them. She grinned happily. Uncle Horatio would be coming to her school right about then. Since she wasn't there, they weren't going to court. When there were a group of three single chimes, then it would be 11:45 and the judge lady couldn't taker her away from her mommy and uncle.

Madison walked along the park sidewalk for a little while. She noticed a yellow news honor box. Grinning to herself, she skipped over to the box and tried to open it. When it didn't open, she peered at the writing and figured out she needed two quarters to open it. Fishing the quarters from her backpack, she managed to feed them to the honor box and pulled down the door, taking a Miami Herald from the rack. The door slammed shut and Madison went in search of a comfortable spot under a tree. There she planned to look for Miss Katie's name in the newspaper and to read the comics.

She failed to notice the wrapper from her drumstick fall to the ground by the bench or the sticky smears she left on the honor box.

_--LMM--_  
Three small girls in matching uniforms stood in Sister Loretta's office, each with her face down toward the floor. The littlest girl looked like she was trying very hard not to cry, but all three had a slightly scared expression.

"Peggy, Lynne, Kim, this is Lt. Horatio Caine and Investigator Calleigh Duquesne," Sister Loretta introduced him. "They're police officers and Lt. Caine is Madison's uncle. They need you to tell them what you know about Madison not coming to class this morning."

Horatio nodded and tilted his head. "Ladies," he said, "you know me already. Madison introduced us a few weeks ago." He waited for their heads to bob in recognition. "Good," he said. "Now, what happened this morning after Ms. Barnam dropped Madison off for school?"

Peggy and Lynne both shrugged their shoulders. Calleigh noted that Kim's lip quivered.

"I know you're Madison's friends," he tried again. "What do you do when your friend is in trouble?"

"Help her?" Kim ventured. She was quickly elbowed by Peggy.

"That's right." Horatio agreed with her but eyed Peggy. "Now, the best way – the best way to help Madison is tell us what you know."

Lynne drew on the floor with her foot. Peggy scowled and then suddenly her expression changed. She looked scared and pitiful.

"There were, uhm, these men," she told him. "And they ran up from – around the building." Her eyes got big. "And they took Madison away and said not to tell anyone or – or they'd take us away, too."

Kim regarded the girl standing next to her in horror. She took a step backwards.

Horatio took a sharp breath and steadied himself against the principal's desk. He focused on Peggy as Lynne's eye dropped to the floor again.

"What did they men look like?" he asked her calmly.

"Uhm," Peggy thought. Then inspired, she remembered a picture from the front page of newspaper she had seen the day before. "They had fuzzy heads and one of them had his shirt open. There was a drawing on his chest."

Calleigh watched the girls with interest. Horatio had clearly clamped down on his emotions, but the white knuckles supporting him at the desk hadn't escaped her notice. Nor had Kim, who seemed like she was ready to faint.

"What did the drawing look like?" Horatio asked but guess the answer.

Peggy shrugged, thinking hard. "It had three points, like a funny-looking fork," she told him.

Horatio collected himself, releasing his hold on the desk. "Thank you, ladies," he told the girls. "That was very important." He turned to Calleigh and uttered two words as though they were a curse in themselves: "Mala Noche."

With that he strode from the room, silently promising God, his mother and whatever powers may be listening that the gang would pay in blood for taking Madison.

Sister Loretta watched the lieutenant leave before turning back to the girls. "Your parents will be here in a little bit," she told them. "But for now, Sister Fran is waiting for you."

The girls bobbed their heads and made to walk from the office. Kim was the last in line and Calleigh put her hand on the child's shoulder. She glanced at Sister Loretta, who nodded in return and left, escorting the other two back to their classroom.

Calleigh steered Kim into a chair and handed her a tissue from the desk.

"Kim," she said kindly, "is there something else you want to tell me?"

_--LMM--_

Madison spread the newspaper out in the shade. It took her a few minutes but she found Miss Katie's name in the second section of the paper. She grinned and she ran her finger over the print that read "Katrina DeMark." Madison had thought it was funny when Miss Katie explained her real name was Katrina.

"Maybe you can be a reporter, too, when you grow up," Miss Katie had said.

Madison had shook her head. "No," she had corrected Miss Katie. "I'm going to a CSI."

Miss Katie had hugged her. "That's good, too," she said. "CSI and police reporters work closely together, so maybe we can share stories."

Madison pushed the newspaper back down when the wind tried to grab it. She watched a few people walk by a distance from her and wondered if Miss Katie was waiting with Uncle Horatio at her school.

Madison yawned as she leaned against the tree. She put her backpack on the stack of newspaper and opened us the Tropical Life section for the comics.

The bells in the distance chimed the half-hour.

_--LMM--_

Mrs. Barnam burst into the command center. Katie regretted she was not faster because Suzie sprang from the chair beside her and launched at her mother.

"Where is she!" Suzie demanded. "What have you done with my daughter? You give her back! She's not yours!"

Katie jumped after Suzie, grabbing her from Mrs. Barnam, who looked shocked at the assault. Putting both hands on Suzie's back, she peeled her away from Mrs. Barnam.

"Just sit down over there," Katie commanded the other. "Suzie, come'on. She has nothing to do with this."

"I knew you'd –" Mrs. Barnam began.

Katie held up her hand, palm out. "You, sit and say nothing," she directed sternly. "I don't want to hear a word from you." Katie steered Suzie back to her seat. "You, ignore her. We have work to do."

Furiously, but silenced, Mrs. Barnam took a seat near the window. Katie moved Suzie as far away as possible.

Kenwall Duquesne entered the room carrying a cardboard cup holder with four coffee cups. Katie sighed and walked to him, taking one of the coffees.

"Anything?" Kenwall asked, his forehead creased.

"Not yet, Duke," she told him softly. "Horatio and Calleigh are talking with Madison's little friends. Eric and Ryan are scouting the outside of the school building." She glanced over her shoulder. "These two are going to need watching."

"I can do that," another voice added. They looked up to see a small, old lady wearing a brown veil and modified habit.

"Sister," Katie greeted her politely.

The nun grinned. "Mother," she corrected and extended her hand. "Mother Mary Elizabeth. Today is my day to visit with the children, but I think I'm needed here."

Kenwall glanced at the warring mother and daughter across the room. "Mother," he said softly, "I think we're going to need your help today."

_--LMM--_

"What are we looking for?" Ryan asked Eric as they walked carefully around the corner of the building where Madison's friends were seen before school.

"Anything," Eric said. "Scratches on the wall, tuffs of grass, anything that doesn't look right."

Eric pulled his fingerprint powder from his kit and began dusting the ledge. Ryan knelt down in the grass, examining the ground.

"Looks like someone kicked the wall here," Ryan said, pointing at a scuff mark on the stucco. He pulled off the camera and snapped a couple quick pictures.

Eric paused and looked where Ryan had pointed. "Little feet," he said, measuring the size with his fingers. "Could be our Madison."

"You think she was struggling with someone?" Ryan suggested.

"Possibly," Eric said.

"Gentlemen," Horatio called. They stopped working and walked over the lead CSI. He waited for them, looking down and frowning. "It seems the situation is worse than we thought."

Ryan studied the older man's face; the frown, the crease between his eyes, the tightness at the corners of his mouth. Horatio played with his sunglass, not bothering to block the late morning glare.

"What is it, Horatio?" he asked.

"The little girl, Peggy, described a man fitting, fitting, a Mala Noche gang member," Horatio told them. "I think someone has found a new way to get to me."

"Well, this would do it," Eric said.

"I would say so," Ryan agreed.

They stared at one another for a moment. Though outwardly still, Horatio's mind was racing with search plans, possibilities, ideas. He buried his fears and swallowed his anger, focusing on what he always did: the victim.

Eric watched Horatio's face, thinking of the times Horatio had stepped into his life, supporting him with quiet words and actions. This time it was Horatio who needed the help.

Ryan licked his bottom lip. The image of a small red-head girl leaning over his microscope and then looking up at him with wonder came to his mind.

"We'll get her back," he assured Horatio.

Horatio nodded to him. "So, what do we have?"

_--LMM--_

Madison woke from her nap. The bright sun had moved overhead and Madison was thirsty. She stretched and opened her backpack, rummaging for the rest of her money.

The sound of voices made her look up again. A group of about five teenaged boys was headed in her direction. They leered as they approached and she heard one of the taunt her about her school uniform.

"Uh-oh," she said to herself. Madison quickly zipped up the bookbag. The boys didn't look like they would be nice to her. She shouldered the bag, leaving her newspaper. She turned once when she heard their footsteps. "Oh no," she whispered and started to run.

Madison didn't get more than a few dozen feet before the sidewalk jumped up and grabbed at her shoes. With a cry, she fell forward, scraping her hands on impact.

The big boys caught up with her. Madison stumbled to her feet, watching blood well on her palms. This was not part of the plan. For the first time, Madison was really scared.

"Hey!" She heard a man shout. There was the sound of hard-soled boots as he ran across the pavement. "Hey, you!"

Madison turned around to see a tall man with black hair loping toward her. He came between her and the boys. She saw him pull something from his belt that flashed gold in the sunlight.

"Cops!" one of the boys yelled. In a heartbeat, they turned and went in the opposite direction.

The man approached Madison, holding his hands out. He had black hair and dark eyes and looked like he hadn't shaved in a couple days.

"You okay, little girl?" he asked, squinting in the sunlight.

Madison nodded her head but said nothing. The man held out the badge.

"It's going to be okay," he told her. "See? I'm a police officer."

He offered the badge to Madison. She took it gingerly and ran her thumb over the raised design. She gave it back to him.

"My un- uncle is a policeman, too," she said hesitantly. "He's a CSI."

The man smirked and shaded his eyes with his hand before dropping to Madison's eye level.

"I know," he told her. "Come'on, let's get you something to drink."

He stood back up and offered her his hand. She took it and knew she was safe again.


	23. Learn to Fly 3

_Disclaimer: I am not sitting her, drinking whiskey sours with Horatio. Nope._

_A/N: I'm back from Florida. It was beautiful. You should go._

_This is going to continue as "cliff-hangers" until I get the storyline resolved. I'm very sorry about that. Let me know where I should send the flowers for any early graves due to it._

Alexx Woods hurried up the steps of St. Anne's School and then quickly down the hallway to the command center. She entered the room to see Horatio, Eric, Suzie and Katie leaning over the worktable, which was covered by a search map. They looked up as she approached.

Horatio's composure cracked just a little to see Alexx. No other eye on the room could see the parted lips and the raised eyebrows the way Alexx it, or be able to read his shoulders as they set downward. Alexx saw the sorrow and fear that appeared for a moment on his face and gently took his hand.

"You'll get her back, baby," she whispered, loud enough for only Horatio to hear. His grim smile returned and he nodded.

"Oh, Alexx, you're here," Suzie said, her voice carrying relief. Alexx opened her arms for the younger mother and took her in, murmuring sympathetically to her. Katie moved closer to Horatio and slid her arm around his waist.

From across the room, Mrs. Barnam huffed. Mother Mary Elizabeth drifted to her side, passing the woman a paper cup of water.

"We worry so much about them," Mother Elizabeth said sagely.

"Worry about who?" Mrs. Barnam snapped, though she took the water.

Mother Elizabeth smiled. "Our daughters, of course," she said. "You're worried about yours over there and she is worried for her daughter, wandering around somewhere."

Mrs. Barnam regarded the old nun for a moment. "With all due respect," she said at last, "I don't see what you'd know about mothers and daughters."

Mother Elizabeth laughed softly. "My dear," she said, "I've had fifty daughters. Each one of them special, unique, engaging, dedicated, talented, filled with love and her own faults. Some of them have stayed in our order and some of them have gone on to other things. Some kept me up late at night with worry and some went out of their way to please me. But each one is my daughter and I love her." Mother Elizabeth steered Mrs. Barnam back to the chairs and sat down with her. "Indulge an old woman; let me tell you about my daughters."

_--LMM--_

Calleigh sat across from Kim and waited for her to catch her breath and stop crying.

"Kim," she said at last, "what is it you want to say that you couldn't with the other two girls here?"

Kim looked miserable and twisted the tissue in her hands. She wouldn't meet Calleigh's eyes. Calleigh sighed and said, a bit more sternly, "Kim, do you know it's wrong to lie to a police officer?"

Kim nodded but still wouldn't look up.

"Okay," Calleigh said, folding her arms. "How about you answer what I ask you? You won't be in trouble if you tell me the truth."

"But will Peggy and Madison be in trouble?" Kim asked.

"I don't know," Calleigh told her. "But right now, Madison is missing and may be in danger or hurt or scared and we need to help her. And I think you're the only one who can help her right now."

Kim bit her lip and tried not to start crying again.

"Did you lie to Lt. Caine and me?" Calleigh asked.

"No," Kim told her.

Calleigh nodded and offered a supportive smile. "Did Peggy lie to us?"

"Yes," Kim squeaked.

"Okay, Kim," Calleigh said. "Thank you for admitting that to me. Now, you tell me what really happened and I promise you won't be in trouble."

Kim watched Calleigh for a moment and decided to take the investigator at her word. "Madison ran away," Kim told her. "It was sorta Peggy's idea. Madison doesn't want the judge to take her away and she thought that if she could be in the court today the judge wouldn't be able to make her leave her mommy."

"So, no man with a tattoo on his chest took Madison away?" Calleigh clarified.

"I – I don't know why Peggy said that," Kim told her. "Peggy thinks she knows everything and – I think she – she wanted to sound like she knew something – and help Madison get away."

Calleigh sighed in relief. The situation was bad but not as bad as it had been when Horatio left the room.

"Thank you, Kim," Calleigh said. "You're a good girl for telling me the truth and I will make sure Sister Loretta knows you helped me to find out what really happened."

For the first time that morning, Kim smiled.

_--LMM--_

"Horatio," Calleigh called as she entered the command center. "I need to tell you something."

Horatio looked up from the map. Ryan and Eric had just reported finding scuff marks but no other signs of a struggle, and no adult-sized footprints, at the side of the school building. He frowned but walked to Calleigh, who stood just outside the door.

"What is it?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"The little girl, Peggy, was lying," Calleigh told him. "I stayed with Kim until she told me the truth."

Horatio's eyebrows went up. "The truth?"

Calleigh nodded. "It seems Madison ran away to prevent the judge from deciding the custody case. She's out there, somewhere, but the Mala Noche don't have her."

The news registered through the layers of Horatio's armor. Calleigh saw confusion, followed by shock and then worry cross his face before his expression closed again. She gently reached out to lay her hand on his arm.

"She's okay, Handsome," Calleigh assured him softly. "There's just something in me that says she's alright."

Horatio nodded. "Right," he said huskily, then more clearly, "Right. Of course."

He turned and she followed him into the room. Horatio went directly to Ryan and Eric. They watched him expectantly. "Tell me again what you have," he directed. "It seems, Madison is trying to take matters in her own hands."

_--LMM--_

Madison and her policeman walked a block in silence until the reached a Checkers. Her face lit up and she let go of his hand to skip up to the window. The man followed her and leaned on the ledge of the window.

"What can I get for you?" the counter girl asked. She was in her early 20s and smiled at the handsome man and little girl. _Nothing sexier than a hot guy taking care of a cute kid_, she thought to herself.

"Madison, are you hungry?" he asked. She nodded. "Right," he said changing his posture. "Two cheeseburgers and two Cokes, please."

The girl took their order and he paid her before they went to the next window. A minute later, Madison followed the policeman to one of the outside table under the awning.

He opened the sandwich wrapper and passed the cheeseburger and smaller Coke to Madison. Madison kneeled up on the bench and took them both, slurping loudly on the straw. He smirked again and opened his own sandwich, savoring the first bite.

"So, you're H's little girl, huh?" he asked between bites. Madison nodded. "Well, I figured, for everything he did for me, I find could his lost daughter."

Madison frowned, tilting her head. "What do you mean?"

The policeman just shrugged. "So, do you know the team?"

"Ah-huh," Madison said with a full mouth.

He squinted and looked down the road. He figured they'd be there shortly. "What's Delko up to now?"

"Oh!" Madison got excited. "He and Miss Calleigh are dating! I heard Uncle Horatio tell Miss Katie he saw them kissing!"

The man choked on his burger before flashing a grin. "Well, that certainly took them long enough."

He listened as Madison chattered on about her uncle and his friends, checking his watch. It was the least he could do.

_--LMM--_

Calleigh's finger rested on the map. "From what Kim told me and what the guys found, Madison began her little trip here, at the time of the bell. Now the best direction for her to head in is here – " Calleigh moved her finger in the direction of the most likely street "— and a five-year-old child can walk about two miles an hour. Now there was a phone call from a tienda owner at about ten o'clock this morning, who said he saw a girl in a school uniform buy ice cream."

Horatio nodded, picking up from there, hands on his hips. "We break into search teams of two. Collect evidence as we move. She can't be further than 10 miles on foot." Horatio played with his sunglasses as he glanced at Suzie, who had covered her mouth to keep from gasping out loud. "However," he emphasized, "however, knowing Madison, she won't have gone that far. She likely found a place to hide for a little while before trying to come home. So we, need to find her hiding place."

"I'm going," Suzie informed him.

Horatio nodded again. "You're with me, Suzie. Eric and Calleigh, I want you to follow this street, here. Mr. Wolfe, you and Katie will take this direction. I want call-ins every half-hour."

"Alexx and I'll stay here," Kenwall said. "If anything changes, we'll relay the information."

Mother Elizabeth stepped over to the group. She smiled in the most charming manner. "We will be waiting when you come back. And if the press –" Katie rolled her eyes with a smirk "– give us a call, I'll be happy to visit with them, too."

Mrs. Barnam stood at the window, arms folded.

_--LMM--_

Suzie said nothing as they walked along the street. Horatio's eye's scanned the pavement, the lawns, the side streets as they walked. A patrol car trailed behind, its lights flashing.

"This is all my fault," Suzie said at last.

Horatio looked at her over the rim of his sunglasses. "Pardon me?"

"Madison ran away because the judge was going to give her to my mother, who thinks I suck as a mother because I was on Tina," Suzie said in a rush. He looked skyward. "I got pregnant with her in the first place because I was seeking solace with a married man because my old man hit me."

"Suzie," Horatio said, not really knowing how to comfort her. "You didn't know Raymond was married or a narcotics officer at the time."

"It doesn't matter," Suzie told him. "My little girl is missing and it's because I messed up."

Horatio sighed deeply. He stopped walking and turned directly to her. "Suzanne," he started to say, then hesitated.

"You can't tell me this isn't somehow my fault," she challenged him.

"I can," he said, taking off his sunglasses and tilting his head, "because it isn't your fault. Madison decided we weren't listening well enough to her. Suzie, a man I respect said to me recently that it's not the life we led in the past but the life we make now that counts. What is past is past. We will find Madison. This is not your fault."

Suzie bobbed her head miserably. Horatio slid his fingertips under her chin to raise her eyes to meet his. The sadness he saw there hurt him dearly. "Come here," he said and took her in his arms. Suzie leaned into him and choked back a sob. Horatio made soft hushing noises, giving her time to release the tears she had pent up all morning.

After a minute, Horatio pulled out his handkerchief and passed it to Suzie. "There, now," he said. Suzie gulped a few times and wiped her eyes. He brushed back a lock of her hair. "Okay," he said.

"Okay," she agreed. They started walking again.

_--LMM--_

Calleigh walked slightly ahead of Eric, her flashlight pointed the ground. The bright sun obscured the light beam while a white spot danced on the ground.

"Hey, Cal," Eric ventured.

"You got something?" she asked over her shoulder.

Eric caught up her. "Not exactly." Calleigh regarded him for a moment. "I was thinking," he said. "About us."

Calleigh smiled to herself. "What about us?"

"Before Tim – before Tim died, he and I talked one night, about you," Eric said. He shrugged and looked around, eyes alert for anything that might indicate which way Madison could have gone.

"Oh, really?" Calleigh asked, amused. "What did you talk about?"

"Tim was of the opinion, you and me, needed to figure things out," he said.

Calleigh took Eric's hand. "We seem to be doing well, now," she said.

Eric swung their hands and smiled himself. "Yeah, we are," he said. "Calleigh, I don't want to give this up, alright? I want to make it work this time."

"So do I," she told him.

The lights of the escort car behind them flashed. Eric grinned and squeezed her hand. They continued walking.

"So you and Tim used to talk about me," she said, her voice teasing. "The things I am still learning about."

Eric laughed. "The things I'm looking forward to teaching you."

Calleigh suddenly stopped. "Eric," she started to say. They were standing very close and he raised his hand to cup her cheek. His brown eyes met her green eyes a moment before their lips did.

The patrol office in the escort car just sighed deeply and "accidentally" hit the horn on the car. They jumped back, Calleigh letting out a little laugh. She stopped as her eyes came to a spot on the ground.

"Eric, look." She pointed to a child's scrawl.

Eric took out his phone. "H will want to see that," he said.

_--LMM--_

Horatio stared at the drawing on the ground as Katie and Ryan approached. He looked up into the eyes of the young woman he loved and imagined for a moment what it would be like to have a child with her. Ryan was saying something to her and Katie nodded before stealing a glance at Horatio. A smile spread across her lips as she did and he knew this was no passing romance. Not anymore.

"What do we have, H?" Ryan asked.

"Madison is leaving bread crumbs," he told Ryan, his mind once more on the task of finding his niece.

Ryan looked down at the scratched letters. "MK heart UH?"

"Madison Keaton loves Uncle Horatio," Katie translated. Suzie nodded and drifted to Katie's side. Katie took her hand and squeezed to reassure her.

"Madison was here about three hours ago," Eric said, coming back from the tienda. "The shop keeper said she bought an ice cream and headed that way, towards the park."

"Then we, go to the park," Horatio said.


	24. Learn to Fly 4

_Disclaimer: All I own is my Katie. I am working on acquiring Horatio but so far, no go._

_Second disclaimer: So you, there are "bad words" in this chapter. They are in context and go to the state of mind of my characters. If you are under 18, I suggest you don't use them around your parents, friends' parents or teachers. If you're over 18, good luck with that._

_A/N: I'm pretty sure this is the last cliff-hanger for you to suffer through. Pretty sure. Thank you for reading; I've enjoyed your reviews and taken your pleas to heart – I'm writing as fast as the schedule allows! And for those of you who think you know who is with Madison – well, that's the next chapter!_

It was an interesting sight: six people walking down to the neighborhood park trailed by three police cars. Horatio, of course, had taken point and he was flanked by Suzie to his right and Katie to his left. Ryan, Eric and Calleigh immediately followed, each scanning the ground, the lawns and ordinary obstacles of life that lined the street. The police cars concluded the parade. The park was only two blocks away but Horatio didn't not want to rush their journey, in case they should miss another of Madison's bread crumbs.

They arrived at the community park and fanned out, again breaking into pairs. Horatio and Suzie moved into the park while Eric and Calleigh began a circuit of the roads around it. Ryan and Katie walked along the immediate edge, toward the bus stop at the corner.

"Penny for your thoughts," Ryan offered as they walked. They both looked at the ground, hoping for some evidence of Madison's visit.

"Huh?" Katie asked, glancing up at Ryan.

"Penny for your thoughts," he repeated. "You have this expression on your face that just seems unreadable."

"Oh." Katie sighed and continued to walk next to Ryan. "I was just thinking of my sister's kids. I've got a niece and nephew of my own." She flashed Ryan a grin. "She called yesterday to say they're expecting another baby." The grin faded but Ryan saw a faint smile. "I was just thinking that I don't know this baby yet, but I love her already. My sister's child and unformed, but I love her. And I was thinking of Madison; Horatio didn't even know he had a niece until three years ago. He missed all the anticipation of waiting for a baby, the wonder of seeing her for the first time or the first time she was placed in his arms. I treasured those moments with my little Frik-n-Frak. And now there's Baby." She stopped walking, sensing her words had come in a rush. Softly, Katie said, "Ryan, I'm scared. Madison is just a little kid."

Ryan's lips parted, slightly stunned at the confession. Finally, he rubbed her shoulder, unsure if he should touch Katie, and said, "I'm sure Madison is alright. She just likes to run away. Remember, last month in the lab? She's H's kid, she's smart. Madison is alright; we've just got to find her."

Katie rubbed her arms like she was momentarily chilled. She smiled again. "Right," she agreed, but worry remained in her voice.

They continued walking in silence for another five minutes. Ryan mulled Katie's words over. He was an only child and wouldn't be an uncle unless he married someone with siblings. Madison or Delko's kids – if he and Calleigh really were official – might be it for him in that department. He redoubled his efforts to find any indication of the missing Caineling.

They came to the bus stop bench and spread out a little bit, searching for anything that might show Madison had come that way. Ryan looked up when he heard Katie call his name.

"What is it?" he asked as he approached. Katie was kneeling beside the park bench.

"Didn't Eric say Madison had bought an ice cream?" she asked.

Ryan knelt down also. "Yeah, he did," he said. Pulling on the rubber gloves, he picked up the Drumstick wrapper caught underneath the iron legs. He held it up for Katie to see better. "Think it could be our girl's?"

Katie squinted at it and nodded. "Yeah, she'd think that was a treat."

Ryan dropped the wrapper into an evidence bag and jotted the location on it. They stood up again, Ryan taking out his flashlight. They turned around, trying to figure out what direction Madison moved in next.

Frowning, Ryan approached the newspaper honor box. "Do you see ice cream smudges?" he asked her.

Katie took a closer look, Ryan shining his light on the front of the box, up near the coin slots. "Yeah, I do," she told him.

"Okay." Ryan switched off his light. "Madison was here. She ate her ice cream and then – got a newspaper?"

"She might have," Katie told him. "I was showing her how to find my name in the paper the other day and then we read the comics together. If she was feeling like a 'big girl' she might get a newspaper."

Ryan gave her an odd look but nodded. "So, she'd find somewhere that she could read her newspaper next."

Katie pointed across the park. "Clump of trees," she said.

"Let's take a look," Ryan said.

They walked across the park lawn until they were beneath a group of young banyan trees. The tendrils and secondary trunks made the place seem like a snug hide-out. Ryan again took out his mini-Mag light and pointed it at the ground. In the dust he found small sneaker prints. As he crouched down to inspect them, Katie spoke up: "One newspaper."

"I've got footprints that are the right size," he called back.

Katie borrowed a set of gloves to pick up the newspaper. "Ryan, it's turned to my story," she said. "It's got to be her."

Ryan took the newspaper from her, folding it and placing it in another evidence bag. "We've got ice cream, we've got a newspaper and we've got footprints," he said. "I'm going to call Horatio; get them over here."

As Ryan made the call, Katie walked around the edge of the banyan tree. She heard a wolf whistle and looked up. Three young men, wearing what Katie really hoped were not gang colors, were approaching.

"Hóla, chica," one of them called, his face twisting into a leer. "Qué tal?"

"Bueno," she said. She wasn't too thrilled with his expression but gave it a try anyway. "Mirrando por una nina. Mirra ella?"

The men spoke to one another. Another one sauntered forward, hands in his pockets.

"Sí," one of the men said. "I saw a little girl. Is she yours, chica? I can take you to her."

To her left, one of the men laughed. The third was walking toward her right. They were attempting to surround her.

_This_, she thought to herself, _is not good_.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Let me get my friend –" Katie took a few steps back, ready to run or shout. The one to her left was now within arm's length.

"Step back," a voice commanded.

_Oh, thank you God!_ Katie said internally.

"We were just talkin' to the lady," the man to her right told Ryan. He continued to move toward Katie. Without turning her back, Katie walked backward to Ryan.

"That's fine," Ryan said. "Just back off. I want to ask you a question and then we'll be on our way, okay."

"What if we want something in return?" the man in front of Katie asked. His hand flashed and Katie bit her lip to see a blade slide out of his pocket.

_Shit shit shit_, Katie thought. _How the hell did this happen?_

Ryan grabbed Katie's arm and yanked her behind him. His other hand moved at the same time and the service pistol that had been covered by his shirt was now very apparent in his hand.

"MDPD," he said forcefully. "Keep your hands where I can see them." One knife dropped and three pairs of hands extended upward and out. "Now," Ryan said, satisfied, "have you seen a little girl in a Catholic school uniform at any point today?"

The men exchanged glances. The one to the right frowned. "Sí," he told Ryan. "She was here a little bit ago. That other cop took her."

"What other cop?" Ryan asked.

"Tall guy," the one to the left said. "Black hair. They went that way – " he pointed down the street.

"Thank you," Ryan said. "That wasn't so bad. Now I suggest you get the hell out of here before I arrest your asses for harassment."

The man at point went to retrieve his knife.

"I suggest you leave it," Ryan told him, service pistol still in hand. "Go. Now."

With another collective glance, the three gang members left at a trot. Ryan put on gloves again and bagged the dropped knife.

Their escort car rounded the park as he re-holstered his weapon. "Nice timing," he muttered.

Katie was rubbing at her forehead. "I'm from a small town in Western New York," he heard her say. "This is another Miami first."

Five minutes later, Horatio and Suzie arrived. Ryan briefly described their encounter. Horatio's frown deepened twice.

"Are you alright?" he asked Katie, slipping his arm around her shoulders protectively.

"I am," she told him, smiling toward Ryan. "Thanks to him."

"Nice work, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said. He added softly, "Thank you."

Ryan shrugged, uncomfortable.

Eric and Calleigh jogged across the park to meet them.

"Anything?" Calleigh asked.

Horatio nodded. "It seems another officer has found Madison," he said.

"So, someone radioed it in," Eric said.

Horatio shook his head. "No," he said, "he hasn't."

"The punk said they went in that direction," Ryan said, indicating down the street.

"Well, we were just by there," Eric said. "I could see a Checkers and a Publix down the road."

Suzie, Horatio and Katie all looked at each other. "Checkers," Suzie and Katie said at the same time.

"She's there," Horatio said. "Let's go."


	25. Coming Home

_Disclaimer: I'm too tired for something witty; check the previous chapters. Nothing's changed._

_A/N: This should answer the question – or maybe not. _

The journey to Checkers was less controlled than their walk to the park. Instead of going by foot, the teams rode in the radio cars with flashing lights. Suzie chewed on her lip the entire way, not entirely comfortable to be in a police car at all. Horatio rode up front, sunglasses hiding his eyes, wishing he had CSI1 and was driving himself.

The countergirl backed away from the window in shock to see three police cars come screaming into the small parking lot along side the hamburger stand. The cook came up from the grill to lean out and utter, "What the hell?" as the cars zoomed past. The other customers craned their neck to watch the three cars discharge their passengers, including a blonde woman who ran across the parking lot, followed by a red hair man walking at a very clipped pace.

Suzie bolted across the parking lot to the tables along side the hamburger stand. She covered her mouth to stifle a cry; Madison sat at the center table, swinging her legs and coloring. Madison looked up with a grin and waved to see her mother and her uncle.

Suzie reached Madison and dropped to her knees, grabbing her daughter and bursting into tears. Horatio was immediately behind them, lifting Suzie back up, taking Madison in his arms, holding both of them.

Eric put his arm around Calleigh's waist and smiled at her. Calleigh rested her head on his shoulder.

Ryan glanced at Katie, standing awkwardly out of reach. "Hey," he said, walking to her, with a lopsided smile. "See? I told you she was fine."

Katie gave a small smile and took his hand, squeezing once. "Yeah, you did."

Horatio set Madison on her feet on top of the table so they were at eyelevel. He gave her a cursory exam, checking for injuries. His relief left him, for once, speechless.

"Madison, what got into you?" Suzie demanded, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. "You scared me to death!"

Madison's grin faded and she looked serious. "The judge can't take me away now," she told Suzie. "We weren't in court so she can't make me live with granmom."

"That's what this is about?" Horatio said at last, taking off his sunglasses.

Madison nodded.

"Madison, that is not how it works," Horatio told her.

"It isn't?" she asked, frowning. "But if we're not there, the judge lady can't do anything."

"Yes, she can, Maddie," Suzie corrected. "We'll be lucky if she didn't give a decision while we were looking for you. And because you ran away, she might think granmom can keep better track of you than we can."

Madison's mouth opened in a little "o." She stared at her hands. "I got you in trouble," she muttered.

"We'll see about that," Horatio told her.

"I'm grounded, aren't I?" she asked him.

Horatio let out a deep sigh. "Yes, sweetheart, you are," he told her. "But we'll discuss that later."

He picked her up and set her back on the ground. Suzie took Madison's hand. Madison looked up at her uncle. "But the police officer said you'd understand."

They all paused. Horatio's frown deepened. Eric walked over to them. Katie also took a seat at the table, looking clearly worried.

"What officer, Madison?" Horatio asked.

"The police man who found me," Madison told him. "He brought me here and we had cheeseburgers. And he wanted to know how you were doing and he said Mr. Eric took a long time to ask Miss Calleigh out. He said Miss Calleigh was too cheerful sometimes. And he called you 'H' just like Mr. Eric and Mr. Ryan do."

There was a great silence. Calleigh sat next to Katie, her eyes wide.

"Madison," Eric said at last. "What did this – this police man look like?"

Madison frowned in imitation of Horatio. "He was tall like you," she said. "And he had black hair and his shirt was untucked. And when he talked, he sounded like Miss Katie."

"Maddie, I have a Western New York accent," Katie said. "Someone from Florida doesn't talk the way I do."

Madison's head bobbed. "That's because he grew up in Syracuse," Madison said, turning to Katie. "He told me that when I said he sounded like you."

"Maddie – Madison, this is important," Horatio said slowly. "Where is he now?"

Horatio's face lost all color and his expression was as if someone had punched in him the gut. Eric looked equally pale; Calleigh was shaking her head angrily.

"He – he said he had to go," Madison said. "Just before you got here. He went away and told me to wait for you here."

"Which way did you go?" Horatio asked, his voice dropping softly.

Madison pointed toward the back of the hamburger stand.

"Eric," Horatio said, his mouth dry.

"I'm on it, H," Eric said and jogged in the direction Madison had pointed.

Horatio led Suzie and Madison back to the radio car, closing them in the backseat. He leaned against the back of the car. Katie quickly went after him, wrapping her arms around his still form.

"I don't get it," Ryan said at last. "Who is this guy?"

Calleigh stood up and regarded Ryan. Her friendship with him suddenly felt like a betrayal.

"Madison just described Tim Speedle," she told him.

"I thought Speedle was dead," Ryan said incredulously.

Calleigh choked back the urge to cry and furiously headed after Eric. "He is," she quipped.

_--LMM-- _

Upon returning to St. Anne's, Madison was quickly bundled away by Alexx to the nurse's office for a physical. Suzie stayed with her while Horatio conferred with Kenwall. Assured all was in order, Ryan returned to CSI with one of the patrol officers. Left to herself, Katie sat on the steps of the school and waited for Eric and Calleigh to return.

Twenty minutes later there was a deep sigh and Horatio sat in the steps next to her, unmindful of what the concert was doing to his suit.

"No call from Eric?" he asked wearily.

Katie leaned against his shoulder. "Nope," she said. "I thought they'd be back by now."

Horatio nodded, glad for her company. "They won't stop until they're satisfied. I've had patrol officers all through the area; no one has seen anyone matching his description and no one radioed in having found a lost child."

"Honey, you can't really think this guy was your friend," Katie said softly. "You told me he died in front of you."

Shading his eyes as he looked upward, Horatio said, "I've found sometimes, sometimes people don't necessarily stay dead."

Katie sighed in turn and closed her eyes, remembered grief filling her. "I wish I'd found the same thing," she told him.

They sat quietly for another minute before Horatio said, "The judge was willing to move our appointment to tomorrow morning. All Madison managed to do was get a day's reprieve."

"I guess that's good," Katie said.

They turned around when the door behind them opened again. Alexx stepped out, smiling.

"Madison is fine for her little adventure," she told them. "I thought I'd check on you before I get back to the office."

"Everything seems to be well out here," Horatio told her, standing up again. Katie followed.

Alexx took her sunglasses from her purse but paused in action. Her smile fell away and she looked directly into Horatio's eyes. "Was he really Timmy?"

"He – uh – he – I don't know, Alexx," Horatio stammered. "We both saw him – I don't know how it could possibly be." He looked at the ground, unable to meet his bestfriend's gaze any longer. "He died that day, Alexx."

Alexx put on her sunglasses, hiding her eyes again. "I know," she said.

"I – uhm, hah –" Horatio stammered again, playing with his sunglasses.

Alexx held up her hand. "I don't want to hear it," she said. "It was not your fault and it wasn't Timmy's. It just wasn't." She took a deep breath and reached out. "Go see your niece."

With that, Alexx walked down the steps and to her waiting car. Horatio and Katie watched her leave.

_--LMM-- _

Katie busied herself in Horatio's kitchen, making dinner for the four of them. Suzie and Madison were staying the night – Katie was convinced it was so Horatio could keep an eye on them – and, uncharacteristically, so was she. She had taken a brief run to the store for something to cook and a bottle or three of wine.

In the livingroom, Suzie and Horatio were sitting down with Madison. The little girl was staring at her hands, listening to her mother.

"Sweetie, do you understand why Uncle Horatio and I are upset with you?" Suzie asked.

"Yeah," Madison mumbled.

"And, why is that?" Horatio asked.

Madison shrugged but said nothing.

"You could have been hurt, Madison," Suzie said. "Someone could have stolen you or you could have gotten so lost we wouldn't find you."

"Uncle Horatio would find me," Madison corrected. "He's a CSI. He said so."

Horatio frowned and waited until Madison looked up at him. "Do you remember what I told you about a CSI doing what she is supposed to do?"

Madison nodded.

"You remember also the chain of command?" he asked.

"Yes," Madison said softly.

"Tell me," he said slowly, "did you do what you were supposed to do today and did you follow the chain of command?"

Madison shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Madison," Horatio repeated.

"No," she said.

Suzie glanced over at Horatio, who gently laid his hand on her arm.

"So, right now, should I hire you as a CSI?" he asked Madison.

Her lower lip trembled. "No."

"You're right," he said. "So, if you were a CSI, I'd have to suspend you. What your mother and I will do is ground you for the week. No TV, no going to your friends' houses, no going to the lab. And, you will apologize to Sister Fran for not going to school. Is that understood?"

Madison nodded and a couple of tears slipped out.

"Maddie, look at me," Suzie said gently. Madison looked up at her mother. "Now, you be a good girl this week and do what you're supposed to do and Uncle Horatio said he will start teaching you how to be a CSI."

"Really?" Madison was surprised.

"Yes, really," Horatio said. "You knew to leave evidence for us and you have a real interest. But I will only teach you if you act like a CSI and follow the chain of command."

"Okay," Madison agreed and her smile quickly came back.

Suzie pulled Madison over between her and Horatio. "I love you, little girl," she said. "Don't ever scare me like that again."


	26. Family

_Disclaimer: Not a lawyer. Not a judge. Not a CBS employee._

_A/N: Sorry for the hiatus! My school year just ended, so I finally have time to finish this story up and begin work on the next one – plus some other projects. Thank you for your patience and love._

Madison stood behind the big table between Mommy and Uncle Horatio when the judge lady walked into the courtroom. Mr. Duke stood next to Uncle Horatio while Miss Katie stood somewhere behind them in the gallery. She fidgeted and took her mother's hand, determined not to look at the other side of the room where Granmom stood with her lawyer.

"You may sit," Judge Maxwell said, taking her place on the bench. Everybody sat down; Madison swung her short legs from the edge of the chair.

"I would like to open today with a word to Miss Keaton," Judge Peggy said, leaning forward.

"Yes, ma'am?" Madison answered. Her voice quavered just a little.

"I understand you tried to stop me from making a decision by running away yesterday," Judge Peggy said.

Madison nodded, her eyes big.

"Before we go any further, I need to know you understand that was a bad thing to do," Judge Peggy said. "Can you tell me why?"

"Because – I – I could have gotten hurt," Madison said. "And Uncle Horatio said judges don't like it – when people try to – uhm – make decisions for them."

Judge Maxwell nodded. "That's right. If you were a grown-up I would have to put you in jail for contempt of court."

Madison looked down at the floor. Suzie, who had seen her share of judges, locked her jaw and barely held her tongue as the judge scolded her daughter.

"But you're not a grown-up, which is why we're here today," Judge Peggy continued, her voice a bit more gentle. "Mr. Duquesne tells me your parents have grounded you for running away. I hereby affirm that decision."

"You're grounding me, too?" Madison asked.

The judge smiled slightly and nodded. "I am."

Madison let out a big breath and her shoulders sagged. "Okay," she agreed and sat back down.

Judge Maxwell shuffled some papers. "That was our first order of business. As to the cases before us: Barnam vs. Barnam, concerning the custody of the minor child Madison Kyndall Keaton and Keaton vs. the State of Florida, concerning the name change of said minor child."

Horatio frowned when the second case was announced. He turned to Kenwall, who waved his hand to indicate Horatio shouldn't speak at that moment. He glanced over at Suzie, who continued to look straight ahead but shifted uncomfortably.

"I have reviewed the information collected by the court officers and child protective services," she continued. "And have spoken with Madison. Yes, the court expresses concern for the continued sobriety of Suzanne Barnam. However, after further interviews with Ms. Barnam and her Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, along with research provided by Mr. Duquesne, I see no reason to believe she will begin using methamphetamines again in the future. Ms. Barnam just completed a semester at the University of Miami and I see you have a GPA of 2.7, which is highly respectable and I commend you on your hard work."

"Thank you, your honor," Suzie said softly. Never before had a judge said anything so kind to her.

The judge nodded with a smile. "Also, I see that you and Lt. Caine have established a routine for Madison during the week and that Lt. Caine is taking an active financial and emotional role in raising Madison. You have attended all of her chemotherapy treatments and medical testing, you have been involved her health decisions and attended school activities, including parent-teacher conferences. This is significant because it tells me you are intent on remaining active in Madison's life."

"I am, your honor," Horatio said. He rested his hand on Madison's shoulder to emphasize his concern for her well-being.

"Mrs. Barnam," Judge Maxwell said, turning next to Suzie's mother. "I have read and evaluated your request for custody of Madison Keaton. You are financially capable of caring for her and I see that she would have a bedroom of her own in your home. Both you and your husband are retired which would allow you plenty of time to devote to your granddaughter."

Mrs. Barnam drew herself up straighter.

"However," the judge continued, "you live in Indiana. I see no need to remove Madison from her mother who, along with Lt. Caine, is equally capable of caring for Madison. I believe removing her from her mother and uncle, her school and friends, with little opportunity to visit or be visited, would cause irreparable harm to the child. I therefore find for Ms. Barnam, who will retain custody of her daughter, with the express hope that Mrs. Barnam will be allowed to visit with her granddaughter on appropriate occasions."

Suzie let out a very-unlady-like "whoop!' and grabbed Madison into a hug that squished the air from her lungs. Madison put her arms around her Mommy's neck and grinned. The judge lady said she could stay!

Horatio grinned broadly at Suzie's display and turned to shake Kenwall's hand warmly. Katie clapped from behind.

"Thank you, your honor," Suzie said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Judge Maxwell said, waiting for her to calm down again. "I'd like to address the second matter now."

Suzie put Madison back down and nodded.

"There is a request, made by Ms. Barnam on behalf of Madison Keaton, to change the name of said minor child," Judge Maxwell said. "The new legal name would be Madison Kyndall Caine, granting the minor child the surname of her natural father, Raymond Caine."

Horatio froze for a heartbeat and then slowly turned to Suzie. Suzie smiled, her lips tightly pressed together, and shrugged. Her eyes, though, were hopeful.

"The reason for the request," Judge Peggy continued, "is to place the minor child clearly in her father's surviving family and not the family of the man who had legally been her father, the deceased Robert Keaton. I understand Madison has a half-brother?"

"Yes, your honor," Kenwall answered. "Raymond Caine, Jr., who currently lives in Columbia with his mother and her family."

"It would also strengthen the connection between Madison and Lt. Caine," the judge said.

"Yes, your honor," Kenwall said. "Ms. Barnam feels that with everything Lt. Caine has done for Madison, it would be in both their interests if Madison had his family name."

"Lt. Caine," Judge Maxwell said, turning to Horatio. "Have you been consulted on this request?"

Horatio glared at Kenwall and ignored Suzie for the moment. "No, your honor, I was not," he said.

"Well, I'm consulting you," she said. "As the brother of her natural father and the uncle of her half-brother, would you consent to Madison adopting the name Caine?"

Horatio turned to his niece, who looked at him expectantly. The first moment he had seen her, Horatio had known to whose family she belonged.

"I consent," he said. "My family would be very happy to have its youngest member known as a Caine."

"Very well," Judge Peggy said. "Upon completion of the appropriate paperwork, said minor child will now be known as Madison Kyndall Caine, the daughter of Suzanne Barnam and the late Raymond Caine."

The judge tapped the bench with her gavel and they all stood up again to watch her leave. Madison looked from her mommy to her uncle and tried to understand what just happened.

Horatio stood with his hands on his hips, staring out the courtroom's only window, surprise and bittersweet emotions warring within him. Madison reached up and tugged at the hem of his jacket. Kenwall had not warned him about the name change and it happened so quickly. _Caine_.

"Uncle Horatio?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

Pulled back, Horatio knelt down to meet Madison's eyes. He smiled in return, noting once more the red hair and freckles, the upturned nose and eyes that sparkled like his mother's had.

"I am, partner," he told her. "I am."

_--LMM--_

Louise Barnam was waiting at the back of the courtroom, handbag gripped tightly as if she was considering its use as a weapon.

"Suzanne," she snapped as they attempted to pass by her.

"What now, Mother?" Suzie said. Her voice was tired but tension remained in her shoulders. She was doubting the wisdom of surprising Horatio with the name change; she believed it was better for her daughter but had been afraid that maybe he wouldn't agree.

Mrs. Barnam made a face, almost like she attempted to smile and instead smelled something sour. She tried again.

"I just want what is best for you and my granddaughter," she said finally. "I'm sorry if you can't understand that."

Suzie folded her arms together and nodded, lips thin. "I'm sorry you can't understand that I'm grown up," she told her mother. "I can do this, Mother. You have to let me go."

Mrs. Barnam nodded in return. Madison walked up to Suzie and took her hand. Mrs. Barnam reached over and affectionately rubbed Madison's hair.

"I have been thinking," she said hesitantly. "Something that nun – Mother Elizabeth – told me about her daughters. 'You can't live someone else's life for them, no matter how hard you try.'" Mrs. Barnam paused, watching her daughter's reaction. "I've been trying to live your life for you, since you were a little girl, and see what it's gotten us." She paused again, taking a difficult breath. "Send me a letter next week, when I get home," she said. "Perhaps we can try to fix this. You are still my daughter and I still love you."

Horatio stood next to Suzie, his face neutral, watching the women. Suzie glanced at him for support before flinging her arms around her mother.

"I love you, too, Mama," Suzie said, squeezing back tears.


	27. Christmas Day

_Disclaimer: As a writer who indulges in fan fiction, let me say this piece comes under the "fair use" portions of copyright law and no infringement is intended._

_Author's Note: My dearest readers, this chapter brings us to the end of _Little Miss Madison_. Thank you for reading, thank you so very much for your reviews and your support. Knowing you're out there, waiting for the next chapter, is a big motivation. Knowing that you enjoy what I write inspires me to continue to write for you._

_I have two more stories in this series planned – _Madison is Getting Logical_ and _Madison, Fare You Well_. I hope to be able to share them with you; each other will visit Madison and Horatio again in their lives as our little girl grows up._

_I want to brag that I have the best readers and reviewers on this board; I thoroughly enjoy the give-and-take between us and want to thank you for the experience. The board now has an "email" button on my info page – I welcome any private emails and am happy to beta if you would like help._

_Thank you again. On with the show…_

Christmas day broke warm and bright across the city of Miami. Out in the suburb of Kendall, morning birds took flight as a sleepy alligator slid from the side of the bank and into the pond behind Horatio's house. One little red-haired girl woke to see a sliver of pink light creep across her bedroom wall. Her mother continued to sleep with one arm wrapped around her in the twin bed.

Madison smiled and poked at Suzie's cheek, suppressing a giggle. Suzie's hair was tangled and she slept with her head on a stuffed gecko for a pillow. After a moment of poking at Suzie – only to be swatted away with a mumbled "eve-muf-lone" – Madison slipped from her mother's arms and out of the bed. She crept from her bedroom and out to the living room.

The Christmas tree sparkled in the rising sunlight, decorated with colored lights and tinsel. Beneath it was the largest pile of gifts Madison had ever seen. She squealed and darted forward to the biggest box.

"Not yet, partner," Uncle Horatio said, appearing from thin air to scoop her up. "We have to wait for your mom and Miss Katie first."

"Santa Claus really came this year, Uncle Horatio!" Madison told him in delight. "And he even found me at your house, just like Mommy said he would."

Horatio chuckled and carried his niece outside to the lanai. He had been sitting at the patio table with his coffee, watching the sun rise on another Christmas Day.

"Well, it certainly looks that way," he agreed, setting her in the chair next to his. "For all your adventures last week, he must still think you're a good girl."

Madison bobbed her head and looked at Horatio slyly. "You didn't tell Santa Claus I ran away, did you?"

Horatio sipped his coffee before ruffling her red curls. "Ah – I did not. I figured, grounding you would be enough. We didn't need to involve Santa Claus."

"That's good." Madison swung her legs back and forth, bouncing in her seat. "Can I go wake up Mommy and Miss Katie?"

Horatio shook his head. "No," he said, "let them sleep." The truth was Suzie and Katie had been up until two in the morning assembling the bicycle wrapped under the biggest box. He had come home from a late-night call-out to find the two women, and an empty wine bottle, wearing tinsel and chain grease with the directions spread out on the floor. Katie had offered to open a second bottle but Horatio had instead sent them to bed and finished the project.

Thus, the second cup of coffee in his hand.

"When can we open gifts?" she asked, climbing to her knees and leaning on the table with her elbows. She picked up his coffee to sniff it and made a face. "Why do you like that?"

Horatio hid a yawn behind his palm. "It helps to wake me up after a long night," he told her. "And we'll open gifts in a little while."

"But I wanna open them now," Madison informed him.

Horatio checked his watch. It was just past eight. "How about you and I go start breakfast?" he suggested. "I bet the smell of good bacon and eggs will wake them up."

"And pancakes," Madison added. "I want pancakes."

"Alright," he agreed, glad his girlfriend had shopped – there was actually pancake mix in the house. "We'll have pancakes, too."

Madison grinned and hopped from her chair. Wearily, Horatio finished his coffee and followed her into the kitchen.

He set about the kitchen to fix breakfast – coffee number three at hand – and helped Madison start mixing the pancake batter. Her eyes kept darting to the Christmas tree in the great room while she chattered on about Santa Claus and Baby Jesus and how excited she was they were going to Janie Woods' for Christmas dinner.

Horatio heard water run in the master bathroom and a minute later Katie appeared, wrapped in a blue robe. With a bemused chuckle, he poured her coffee and had it waiting as she entered the kitchen.

"Ma'am," he greeted her with a kiss to the cheek and the pro-offered coffee mug.

Katie gratefully accepted the mug. "Sir," she replied holding the coffee as a treasure and leaning her head briefly on his shoulder.

"Oooo," Madison crooned from her spot at the table. She was dusted in pancake mix and managed to splash batter on her nightgown.

Katie drifted to the table and sat down. "We're allowed," she told the little girl.

Madison dropped her spoon and looked back to Horatio. "Miss Katie's awake. Please can I go wake up Mommy?"

"Let your uncle make another pot of coffee first," Katie told her. "Suzie's going to need it."

Horatio grinned mischievously and turned back to the coffee machine. "Ah, the wages of –"

"Shut-up," Katie quipped from behind her mug. "And where did you hide the Tylenol?"

"You said 'shut-up,'" Madison said, her voice scolding. "Sister Fran said that's a mean thing to say."

"And so it is," Horatio agreed. Katie could detect the humor in his voice. As Madison looked away, she stuck her tongue out at Horatio.

Suzie stumbled from Madison's bedroom in a t-shirt and pajama pants with little boxes of Chinese food on them. She calmly took Horatio's coffee mug from his hands and found a chair next to Katie.

"Madison, sweetie," she said. "Go get Mommy's purse. I have a bottle of Tylenol in there."

Madison scrambled from her place at the table and came skipping back with the purse. "Now can we open presents?" she implored.

_--LMM--_

Horatio sat under the Christmas tree, doling out the presents, making sure each one of them had a gift before letting Madison tear in. He vaguely remembered his grandfather doing the same thing when he was very little – he didn't remember Raymond being there but some of his cousins had been.

Suzie and Katie had taken places on the couch but Madison sat on the floor in arm's reach of the gifts, her eyes shining. So far she had a new doll and sweater duster, her own CD player and an E-Z Bake Oven. Her favorite, though, was the gecko blanket. She had wrapped that like a cape around her shoulders.

"What about the big one?" Madison asked plaintively as Horatio searched under the tree for more treasures. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Katie and Suzie comparing the sweaters he had gotten for each of them.

"This big one?" he asked, pointing to the box.

"Yes, that big one," she told him.

"Well, I thought, I thought we'd wait until last for that one," he said dryly.

Madison scrunched up her face and shook her head. "But I wanna see what's in it now," she said.

"Madison," Suzie called from the couch.

"Please?" Madison added more politely.

"Horatio, have mercy," Katie said. "She's waited long enough."

Horatio studied his niece's hopeful face before grinning. "Okay. Come here, sweetheart."

Madison stood up and walked over to Horatio and the great big box. She placed her hands on the sides like he instructed and together they lifted up the box.

Seeing the bright green bicycle underneath, Madison clapped her hands and started jumping up and down. She hopped all around while Horatio laughed out loud and the women hugged one another for a job well done.

"Can I ride it now, please, please, please?" Madison begged.

"Not in your nightgown," Suzie said.

"Okay." Madison turned around and ran, blanket flapping, to her bedroom to get dressed.

Watching her go, Horatio walked across the room and kissed Suzie's cheek and Katie's lips. "Merry Christmas, ladies," he said.

"God bless us, everyone," Suzie said in thanksgiving.

_--LMM--_

The Caine family was met at the front door by their hostess, Alexx Woods. Madison darted inside at the sound of Janie's voice and Calleigh Duquesne appeared to help them carry the packages and food inside.

"Merry Christmas," Alexx greeted, adding a hug and brief kiss for each. "You didn't have to bring so much!"

"We're happy to do so, Alexx," Horatio said. "Besides, it's Christmas."

"Yes, it is," Alexx said. "Go on inside; Dennis has drinks waiting and I have a turkey to check on."

Once in, they found their way to the lanai where Kenwall and Eric were already seated. Katie and Suzie followed her to the kitchen to help.

"Eric," Horatio greeted his younger friend with a warm hug for Christmas. "I didn't think I'd get to see you today."

Eric shrugged. "We were at Mami and Papi's last night and we went to church with them this morning," he said.

"That way I get to see my daughter this afternoon," Kenwall added, shaking Horatio's hand.

Dennis appeared with another ice tea for Kenwall and a Manhattan for Horatio. "Well, we're glad to have you," he said. "That young man, Ryan, is supposed to join us, too."

Horatio nodded. "Good." He looked up as Suzie appeared in the lanai door. He pulled out a chair for her, which she accepted with a smile. Kenwall reached over to pat her hand.

"Congratulations, young lady, on your first semester," he told her. "We're all very proud of you."

Suzie blushed and let her hair fall forward. "Thanks," she said. "I couldn't have done it without Horatio. He's helped me a lot."

Horatio nodded, uncomfortable with the public praise. "You're family, Suzie," he said.

Alexx came out on the lanai, carrying hor'durves. She was followed by Katie and Calleigh, who were trailed by a bashful looking Ryan Wolf – holding the hand of Maxine Valera. Eric and Horatio exchanged surprised glances; Eric raised his beer bottle in a salute to the newcomer.

"Today, we're all family," Alexx said with a smile.

"Does that mean I get to pick on my little brother?" Eric whispered to Horatio. Before Horatio could answer, Calleigh lightly smacked his shoulder.

_--LMM--_

The last of the day's light had faded from the sky. Katie had gone home and Suzie was napping on the couch. Horatio and Madison stood outside his lanai cage, staring up as the stars appearing one-by-one in the sky.

Madison slipped her hand into Horatio's, squeezing twice.

"Are you ever scared?" she asked as they watched the stars.

Horatio glanced down at her. "Sometimes," he admitted.

"When?"

"Ah –" He thought. "I was afraid last week."

"When I ran away?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "When you ran away. I was afraid bad people had stolen you. But I was also afraid the judge would send you to live with your grandmother."

"Really?" Madison said in wonder.

"Really," he said. "I would be very sad if you went away."

Madison wrapped her arms around his waist and her head to his side. "Then I won't go away, Uncle Horatio," she said. "Not as long as there are stars in the sky."

Horatio dropped to one knee and took his niece in his arms, kissing the top of her head. "That's an awfully long time," he told her.

"I know," Madison said. "I love you, Uncle Horatio."

"I love you, too," Horatio told. "I even like you."

And Madison giggled.


End file.
